• Membrane Journal
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.81-92
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• 2007

Membrane-based separation processes are receiving increasing attention in the scientific community and industry since they provide a desirable alternative to processes that are not easy to achieve by conventional separation technologies. In particular, gas separation using polymeric membranes have annually grown so fast owing to advantages such as easy installation, no moving parts, small footprint and low energy process. The key element is definitely a polymer membrane exhibiting high permeability and high selectivity to compete with other gas separation technologies. Current polymer membranes used for commercial gas separation are a family of hydrocarbon polymers for hydrogen separation, air separation and carbon dioxide separation from natural gas sweetening. Relatively, gas or vapor separation properties of fluoropolymers are not known so much as compared with those of hydrocarbon polymers. Accordingly, in this study, membranes prepared from amorphous perfluoropolymers are of particular interest because of the unique properties of these polymers. The advantages offered by these amorphous perfluoropolymers for use in gas and vapor separation will be discussed. In addition, membrane properties and separation performance will be compared with other membranes available on the market.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.213-221
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• 2011

Using poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) as a polymer host, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a plasticizer, potassium iodide and iodine as sources of $I^-/I_3^-$, polymer electrolyte membranes were prepared. Based on the polymer electrolytes, solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC)s were fabricated. The content of PEG in the electrolyte was controlled to be 95%. The mole number of KI per 1 mole of EO ([KI]/[EO] ratio) in the electrolyte was changed to be 0.022, 0.044, 0.066 and 0.088. The electrolyte membrane showed wax phase in ambient temperature. The ionic conductivity increased with increasing KI content to reach the maximum value at which [KI]/[EO] ratio is 0.066. After the maximum value, the ionic conductivity decreased with increasing KI content. In the case of DSSC, the Voc decreased continuously with increasing KI content in the polymeric electrolyte membrane. The $J_{SC}$ increased with increasing KI content to show maximum value at which [KI]/[EO] ratio is 0.044. In the higher KI content region, $J_{SC}$ value decreased with increasing KI content.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.367-376
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• 2011

Huge amount of $CH_4$ mixtures has been emitted from landfills and organic wastes via anaerobic digestion. The recovery of high purity $CH_4$ from these gases has two merits: reduction of green house gases and production of renewable fuels. Membrane technology based on polymeric materials can be used in this application. In this study, asymmetric gas separation hollow fiber membranes were fabricated to develop the membrane-based bio-gas purification process. Polyethersulfone (PES) was chosen as a polymer materials because of high $CO_2$ permeability of 3.4 barrer and $CO_2/CH_4$ selectivity of 50[1]. Acetone was used as a non-solvent additive because of its unique swelling power for PES and highly volatile character. The prepared PES hollow fiber showed excellent separation properties: 36 GPU of $CO_2$ permeance and 46 of $CO_2/CH_4$ selectivity at optimized preparation conditions: 9wt% acetone content, 10cm air-gap and 4wt% PDMS coating processes. With the PES hollow fiber membranes developed, mixed $CO_2/CH_4$ test was done by changing various operating conditions such as pressures and feed compositions to meet the highest recovery of CH4 with 95% purity. High $CH_4$ recovery of 58 wt% was observed at 10 atm feed pressure for the 50 vol% of $CO_2$ in $CO_2/CH_4$ mixture.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.466-473
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• 2000

The complex formation constants (${\beta}_{MLn}$) of potassium and various sodium-selective neutral carriers in solvent polymeric membranes have been determined using solvent polymeric membrane-based optodes and ion-selective electrodes (ISEs). Two different types of PVC-based membranes containing the H^+selective chromoionophore (ETH 5294) with and without a sodium ionophore (4-tert-bntylcalix[4]arenetetraacetic acid tetraethyl ester, ETH 2120, bis[(12-crown-4)methyl] dodecylmethylmalonate or monensin methyl ester) were prepared and their optical responses to either the changes in alkali metal cation (e.g., sodium and potassium) concentrations at a fixed pH (0.05 M Tris-HCl, pH 7.2) or varying pH at a fixed alkali metal cation concentration (0.1 M) were measured. The same type of membranes were also mounted in conventional electrode body and their potentiometric responses to varying pH at a fixed alkali metal cation concentration (0.1 M) were measured. The complex formation constants of the ligand could be calculated from the calibration plots of the relative absorbance vs. the activity ratios of cation and proton ($a_{M^+}/a_{H^+}$) and of the emf vs. pH. It was confirmed that the ratio values of the complex formation constants for the primary and interfering ions are closely related to the experimental selectivity coefficients of ISEs.

• Journal of Korean Dental Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.58-66
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• 2013

Purpose: The inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) can be damaged as a result of minor oral surgical procedure such as third molar extraction or implant placement. Repair of the injured IAN involves difficulty of access, and research studies are limited to elucidating the process of regeneration by surgical methods. This study sought to establish the rabbit animal model to apply polymeric membrane functionalized with nerve growth factor after a crush lesion for the evaluation of nerve regeneration using the electrophysiologic method. Materials and Methods: The IAN of 2 adult male New Zealand white rabbits (4 nerves) were exposed bilaterally, and crush injury rendered by jeweler's forceps was applied. Nerve conduction velocity was examined electrophysiologically using electromyography before, after, and 4 weeks after the crush injury. To evaluate the regeneration, the pattern of action potential of IAN was recorded, and the characteristics of neurons were histologically observed. Result: After the crush injury, afferent activity decreased in the injured group. Electromyography could not be recorded after four weeks because tissues surrounding the injured nerve collapsed. Decrease in the mean number of axons was observed in the injured part with membrane. Conclusion: Despite the limited result, the present animal model study may provide a possible way to research on the methods of enhancing the recovery of nerve injuries in clinical situations. For clinically widespread acceptance, however, it should gain more consecutive and scientific evidences.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.59-63
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• 2003

Superparamagnetic properties of self-aggregated cobalt nanoparticles in the perfluorinated ion-exchange polymeric membrane (MF-4SK) prepared by ion-exchange and recovery methods were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer at various temperatures. Our experimental results show that cobalt nanoparticles in MF-4SK for the concentration of $7.8{\times}10^{19}$ atoms per 1 g of polymer membrane exhibit superparamagnetic properties above the average blocking temperature ($T_{B}$), which is determined to be around 185 K at applied field of 500 Oe. The average particle radius of 4.0 nm achieved from Langevin function fit is in good agreement with TEM observations. This experimental evidence suggests that cobalt nanoparticles in polymer film obey a single domain theory. The results are discussed in the light of current theory for the superparamagnetic behavior of magnetic nanoparticles.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.483-487
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• 2011

For the preparation of effective non-vascular drug eluting stent (DES), pullulan acetate (PA) was investigated as a coating material for polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE)-covered stent. PA was coated on PTFE-covered stent (PTFE-stent) by dip coating technique, and then its surface morphology, drug release behavior and cellular toxicity were tested. Field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) result indicated that its surface was smoother after PA coating without any cracking. The sustained release behavior of paclitaxel from PA-coated PTFE membrane was observed for 80 days. Also, the biological stability of paclitaxel in the membrane was confirmed by annexin V binding assays. Furthermore, the antitumor activity was demonstrated by an in vivo test against CT-26 murine colorectal tumors. From the results, we concluded that PA was expected as a useful coating material to design an effective non-vascular DES.

• Korean Membrane Journal
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.25-37
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• 1999

positron annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy has been extensively applied in recent years to investigate the free volume in polymers owing to the capability of the electron-positron bound system (positronium) to probe the typical size of sub-nanometric cavities among the macromolecular chains. In this paper we show recent results obtained through this technique in some amorphous polymeric mem-branes(olyurethanes. PUs and polytrimethilsylilpropine PTMSP) after a brief survey of the general features of the annihilation process as well as of the experimental apparatus. Lifetime of o-ps decay({{{{ tau _3}}}}) in PUs increases going from sub {{{{ TAU _g}}}} to over {{{{ TAU _g}}}} temperatures following a sigmoid curve. The coefficient of dilatation of the free volume fraction is shown to be the sum of two contributes due to the variation with T of the number of holes and of their mean volume. PAL spectrum of PTMSP freshly prepared shows four lifetime components: {{{{ tau _3}}}} and {{{{ tau _4}}}}: only are useful for free volume study. Two kinds of holes of different equivalent radius are reported ({{{{ gamma _s}}}} 4.60 nm and {{{{ gamma _1}}}} 0.754) The equivalent volume does not change in a range of 100 K. however the physical aging increases density and decreases oxygen permeability while {{{{ gamma _s}}}} goes down to 0.374 and r1 to 0.735 The number of holes obtained from the intensities{{{{ IOTA _3}}}} and {{{{ IOTA _4}}}} of PAL spectra decreases with aging 21.7% and 3.5% for large and small holes respectively.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.621-627
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• 2022

Background: Panax ginseng (ginseng) is a traditional medicine that is reported to have cardioprotective effects; ginsenosides are the major bioactive compounds in the ginseng root. Methods: Magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer (MMIP) nanoparticles might be useful for both the extraction of the targeted (imprinted) molecules, and for the delivery of those molecules to cells. In this work, plant growth regulators were used to enhance the adventitious rooting of ginseng root callus; imprinted polymeric particles were synthesized for the extraction of ginsenoside Rb₁ from root extracts, and then employed for subsequent particle-mediated delivery to cardiomyocytes to mitigate hypoxia/reoxygenation injury. Results: These synthesized composite nanoparticles were first characterized by their specific surface area, adsorption capacity, and magnetization, and then used for the extraction of ginsenoside Rb₁ from a crude extract of ginseng roots. The ginsenoside-loaded MMIPs were then shown to have protective effects on mitochondrial membrane potential and cellular viability for H9c2 cells treated with CoCl₂ to mimic hypoxia injury. The protective effect of the ginsenosides was assessed by staining with JC-1 dye to monitor the mitochondrial membrane potential. Conclusion: MMIPs can play a dual role in both the extraction and cellular delivery of therapeutic ginsenosides.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.175-180
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• 2023

The aim of this study was to compare the fouling characteristics of Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secreted by Chlorella vulgaris with the case of Bacterial-MBR (BMBR), Microalgal-MBR (MMBR) for advanced wastewater treatment using the Laboratory scale, in order to suggest a method to minimize fouling in MMBR by identifying the effects of amounts and compositions of EPS secreted by C. vulgaris and bacteria in the activated sludge on fouling. Contrary to expectations, fouling occurred relatively severely in the MMBR from the beginning of the operation than in the BMBR. Reasons for such a fouling pattern were considered to be the effect of C-EPS, which accumulates on the membrane surface of MMBR 30 times more than that on the membrane surface of activated sludge (BMBR). In this respect, according to the results of this experiment and a comparative review of several previous studies, it was confirmed that unlike activated sludge, in which the ratio of P-EPS was relatively higher than that of C-EPS, in case of C. vulgaris, the ratio of C-EPS to P-EPS was relatively higher than that in case of activated sludge. This was presumed to be the main cause of the significant fouling phenomenon in MMBR. However, an increase in TMP with increasing C-EPS concentration was not observed.