• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.889-892
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• 2009

A microwave plasma torch at the atmospheric pressure by making use of magnetrons operated at the 2.45 GHz and used in a home microwave oven has been developed. This electrodeless torch can be used to various areas, including industrial, environmental and military applications. Although the microwave plasma torch has many applications, we in the present work focused on the microwave plasma torch operated in pure steam and several applications, which may be used in future and right now. For example, a high-temperature steam microwave plasma torch may have a potential application of the hydrocarbon fuel reforming at one atmospheric pressure. Moreover, the radicals including hydrogen, oxygen and hydroxide molecules are abundantly available in the steam torch, dramatically enhancing the reaction speed. Also, the microwave plasma torch can be used as a high-temperature, large-volume plasma burner by injecting hydrocarbon fuels in gas, liquid, and solid into the plasma flame. Lastly, we briefly report an underway research, which is remediation of soils contaminated with oils, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, etc.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.139-144
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• 2009

A microwave plasma torch at the atmospheric pressure by making use of magnetrons operated at the 2.45 GHz and used in a home microwave oven has been developed. This electrodeless torch can be used to various areas, including industrial, environmental and military applications. Although the microwave plasma torch has many applications, we in the present work focused on the microwave plasma torch operated in pure steam and several applications, which may be used in future and right now. For example, a high-temperature steam microwave plasma torch may have a potential application of the hydrocarbon fuel reforming at one atmospheric pressure. Moreover, the radicals including hydrogen, oxygen and hydroxide molecules are abundantly available in the steam torch, dramatically enhancing the reaction speed. Also, the microwave plasma torch can be used as a high-temperature, large-volume plasma burner by injecting hydrocarbon fuels in gas, liquid, and solid into the plasma flame. Finally, we briefly report treatment of soils contaminated with oils, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, etc., which is an underway research in our group.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.08a
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• pp.95-95
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• 2010

An apparatus for generating flames and more particularly the microwave plasma burner for generating high-temperature large-volume plasma flame was presented. The plasma burner was composed of micvrowave transmission lines, a field applicator, discharge tube, coal and gas supply systems, and a reactor. The plasma burner is operated by injecting coal powders into a 2.45 GHz microwave plasma torch and by mixing the resultant gaseous hydrogen and carbon compounds with plasma-forming gas. We in this work used air, oxygen, steam, and their mixtures as a discharge gas or oxidant gas. The microwave plasma torch can instantaneously vaporize and decompose the hydrogen and carbon containing fuels. It was observed that the flame volume of the burner was more than 50 times that of the torch plasma. The preliminary experiments were carried out by measuring the temperature profiles of flames along the radial and axial directions. We also investigated the characteristics for coal combustion and gasification by analyzing the byproducts from the exit of reactor. As expected, various byproducts such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, etc. were detected. It is expected that such burner cab be applied to coal gasification, hydrocarbon reforming, industrial boiler of power plants, etc.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.158-158
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• 2015

Myoblast are myogenic precursors that proliferate, activate, and differentiate on muscle injury to sustain the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle; The neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase (nNOS, termed also NOS-I) is expressed in normal adult skeletal muscle, suggesting important functions for Nitric oxide (NO) in muscle biology1,2,3. However, the expression and subcellular localization of NO in muscle development and myoblast differentiation are largely unknown. In this study, we examined effects of the nitric oxide generated by a microwave plasma torch, on proliferation/differentiation of rat myoblastic L6 cells. Experimental data pertaining to nitric oxide production are presented in terms of the oxygen input in units of cubic centimetres per minute. The various levels of nitric oxide are observed depending on the flow rate of nitrogen gas, the ratio of oxygen gas, and the microwave power4. In order to evaluate the potential of nitric oxide as an activator of cell differentiation, we applied nitric oxide generated from the microwave plasma torch to L6 skeletal muscles. Differentiation of L6 cells into myotubes was significantly enhanced the differentiation after nitric oxide treatment. Nitric oxide treatment also increase the expression of myogenesis marker proteins and mRNA level, such as myogenin and myosin heavy chain (MHC), as well as cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), However during the myotube differentiation we found that NO activate oxidative stress signaling erks expression. Therefore, these results establish a role of NO and cGMP in regulating myoblast differentiation and elucidate their mechanism of action, providing a direct link with oxidative stress signalling, which is a key player in myogenesis. Based on these findings, nitric oxide generated by plasma can be used as a possible activator of cell differentiation and tissue regeneration.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.204-207
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• 2011

A particle counting system that can also provide sensitive, specific chemical information, while consuming very less power, occupying less space, and being inexpensive has been developed. This system uses a microwave plasma torch (MPT) as the excitation source for atomic emission spectrometry (AES). Emission from a single particle can be detected, and the wavelength at which the emission is observed indicates the elements present in the particle. It is believed that correlating the particle size and emission intensity will allow us to estimate the particle size in addition to abovementioned capabilities of the system. In the long term, this system can be made field-portable, so that it can be used in atmospheric aerosol monitoring applications, which require real-time detection and characterization of particles at low concentrations.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society for Energy Engineering kosee Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.195-200
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• 2004

Carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) and methane (CH$_4$) are two major greenhouse Bases. $CO_2$is a stack gas of many industrial processes and the main product of the hydrocarbon combustion. There is recent research interest on the synthesis gas (syngas) formation from $CO_2$ and CH$_4$, via the following reaction: CH$_4$+$CO_2$longrightarrow 2H$_2$+$CO_2$, in order to reduce the greenhouse effects and to synthesize various chemicals, Preliminary experiments were conducted on the conversion of $CO_2$ and CH$_4$ to syngas by making use of a microwave plasma torch at atmospheric pressure. Conversion rates of $CO_2$and CH$_4$ to hydrogen (H$_2$), carbon monoxide (CO) and higher hydrocarbons were investigated using Gas Chromatography (GC) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR). The experimental data indicate that the main products were H$_2$, CO and small amount of higher hydrocarbons, such as ethylene (C$_2$H$_4$).

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1023-1027
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• 1995

A comparative study of different torches in the Microwave Induced Plasma is reported. Three types of torches that have been used in this area are characterized and compared with each other. Especially, recently developed laminar flow torches have been optimized in design and analytical performances. The ratio of inner to outer tubes is found to be the most important parameter. As inner tube size increases, recirculating region also increases and consequently, sensitivity becomes better. An optimized laminar flow torch has been coupled to a gas chromatography and examined for halogen compounds. Detection limits are 25 pg s-1 for Cl and 12 pg s-1 for Br. These values are improved over the conventional laminar flow torch.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.268-268
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• 2012

Atmospheric pressure microwave induced plasmas are used to excite and ionize chemical species for elemental analysis, for plasma reforming, and for plasma surface treatment. Microwave plasma differs significantly from other plasmas and has several interesting properties. For example, the electron density is higher in microwave plasma than in radio-frequency (RF) or direct current (DC) plasma. Several types of radical species with high density are generated under high electron density, so the reactivity of microwave plasma is expected to be very high [1]. Therefore, useful applications of atmospheric pressure microwave plasmas are expected. The surface characteristics of SUS304 stainless steel are investigated before and after surface modification by microwave plasma under atmospheric pressure conditions. The plasma device was operated by power sources with microwave frequency. We used a device based on a coaxial transmission line resonator (CTLR). The atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) in the case of microwave frequency (880 MHz) used Ar as plasma gas [2]. Typical microwave Pw was 3-10 W. To determine the optimal processing conditions, the surface treatment experiments were performed using various values of Pw (3-10 W), treatment time (5-120 s), and ratios of mixture gas (hydrogen peroxide). Torch-to-sample distance was fixed at the plasma edge point. Plasma treatment of a stainless steel plate significantly affected the wettability, contact angle (CA), and free energy (mJ/$m^2$) of the SUS304 surface. CA and ${\gamma}$ were analyzed. The optimal surface modification parameters to modify were a power of 10 W, a treatment time of 45 s, and a hydrogen peroxide content of 0.6 wt% [3]. Under these processing conditions, a CA of just $9.8^{\circ}$ was obtained. As CA decreased, wettability increased; i.e. the surface changed from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. From these results, 10 W power and 45 s treatment time are the best values to minimize CA and maximize ${\gamma}$.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.265-272
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• 2012

Okamoto cavity was modified to generate high power (2.45 GHz, 2 kW) He, N2 and Ar plasmas with WR-340 waveguide. Many factors which influence to the plasma generation were optimized and investigated for the spectroscopic properties of the He plasma generated. Some of the important factors are the diameter of the inner conductor, the distance between the inner and outer conductors and the distance between the tip of the inner conductor and the torch. After optimization for the He, two torches (a commercial mini torch for ICP and a tangential flow torch made locally) were compared and showed similar results for the helium plasma gas flow of 25 L/min~30 L/min. A tall torch (extended) was used to block the air in-flow and reduced the background intensity at 340 nm region (NH band). Emission intensity was measured for determination of halogen element in the aqueous solution with power and carrier gas flow rate. Electron number density and the excitation temperature were on the order of $3.67{\times}10^{11}/cm^3$ and 4,350 K, respectively. These values are similar or a bit smaller than other microwave plasmas. It has been possible to analyze aqueous samples. The detection limit for Cl (479.45 nm) was obtained to be 116 mg/L and needs analytical optimization for the better performance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2008.02a
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• pp.182-182
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• 2008