• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.70-78
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• 2023

Blast furnace slag, a by-product of the steel industry, is mostly recycled as concrete admixture, but electric arc furnace slag has not been recycled to date. In particular, since electric arc furnace slag partially contains free lime (free-CaO) in the discharge, it is necessary to review this in order to recycle f or construction materials. Recently an atomizing process which is a method of rapidly cooling electric arc furnace slag has been developed and applied. Therefore, in order to use the fine aggregate of oxidized slag from electric furnace restored by this method as an aggregate for concrete, physical damage and chemical reviewing are required. In this study, a physical and chemical review was conducted on the fine aggregate of Electric Arc Furnace Oxidizing Slag (EFOS) as a by-product of the steel manufacturing process with atomizing process. In this experimental study, EFOS was experimentally examined about whether it can be used as concrete fine aggregate. Also, we intend to provide basic data for the future use of the EFOS fine aggregate. As a result of the experimental study, it was found that the fine aggregate of the EFOS satisfied the quality standards of the fine aggregate for concrete in most items specified by Korean Standard.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.75-84
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• 2008

Recycled-aggregate porous concrete pile (RAPP) which forms a composite ground is one of new ground improvement techniques. In this paper, triaxial compression tests are carried out to investigate the shear strength characteristics of RAPP-Clay composite samples. The main purpose of the tests was to investigate the effects of area replacement ratio ($15%{\sim}100%$) on behaviors of RAPP-Clay samples during shearing. Also, triaxial compression tests using Sand-Clay composite samples were performed to compare with the behaviors of RAPP-Clay samples. The test results showed that the friction angle and cohesion of the RAPP-Clay composite were $18{\sim}34$ degree and $557.0{\sim}588.0\;kPa$, respectively, whereas those of sand-clay composite samples were 26~35 degree of friction angel and $4.0{\sim}18.0\;kPa$.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.12-18
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• 2023

In 2018, the demand for silver (referred to as Ag) in the electrical and electronics sector was 249 million tons. The demand stood at 81 million tons in the solar module production sector. Currently, due to the rapid increase in solar module installation, the demand for silver is increasing drastically in Korea. However, Korea's natural metal resources and reserves are insufficient in comparison to their consumption, and the domestic silver ore self-sufficiency rate was as low as 2.2% as of 2021. This implies that a recycling technology is necessary to recover valuable metal resources contained in the waste plating solution generated in the metal industry. Therefore, this study compared and analyzed, the results of the impact evaluation through life cycle assessment according to an improvement in the process of recovery of valuable metals in the waste plating solution. The process improvement resulted in reducing GWP (Global Warming Potential) and ADP(Abiotic Depletion Potential) by 50% and 67%, respectively. The GWP of electricity and industrial water was reduced by 98% and 93%, respectively, which significantly contributed to the minimization of energy and water consumption. Thus, the improvement in recycling technology has a high potential to reduce chemical and energy use and improve resource productivity in the urban mining industry.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2023

This study aims to create a highly conductive E-textile made by recycling PET with a Dip-coating process. PET fiber with hydrophobic properties is characterized by the difficulty in imparting great conductivity when both Virgin and Recycled are made of electronic fibers through a Dip-coating process. To advance the effectiveness of the Dip-coating process, a sample made of recycled PET was surface modified for 50 w 5 minutes and 10 minutes employing a Covance-2mprfq model from FEMTO SCIENCE. After that, the sample was immersed in an SWCNT dispersion (.1 wt%, Carbon Co., Ltd.) for 5 minutes, and then dip coating was conducted to allow the solution to permeate well into the sample through a padder (DAELIM lab). After the procedure was completed, the resistance measurement was measured with a multimeter at both ends and then accurately remeasured with a wider electrode. As a result of this contemplation, it was affirmed that great conductivity might be given through an impregnation process through the plasma surface modification. When the surface modification was performed for 10 minutes, the resistance was reduced by up to 2.880 times. Dependent on the results of this research, E-fibers employed in the smart wearable sector can also be made of recycled materials, improving smart wearable products that can save oil resources and reduce carbon emissions.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2023

With the continuous industrial development, not only natural resource depletion, waste generation, but also various weather conditions are becoming more frequent. Efforts are continuing to recycle industrial by-products to overcome the climate crisis and save resources. Slag is a representative by-product generated in the steel industry, and it is characterized by improving rutting resistance and moisture sensitivity by increasing strength and reducing deformation when used as a material for asphalt concrete. On the other hand, slag has expansion properties so it is used as a relatively low-value-added material such as embankment and refilling materials. In order to expand the application of slag, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the crack resistance of slag asphalt concrete pavement. As a result of the indirect tensile strength test, it was found that the asphalt mixture using slag aggregate showed a value 1.13 times higher than that of the general HMA with the same particle size, and the toughness was 1.17 units, improving crack resistance. In addition, it was found that the failure number of the 4-point beam fatigue experiment and the slag asphalt mixture was 20,409, which was more than doubled compared to the general HMA. Furthermore, Overlay Test showed a tensile load residual rate of 4 times or more, improving crack resistance to repeated fatigue. Accordingly, the use of slag aggregate will likely have various advantages in improving the performance of asphalt concrete pavement.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.161-168
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• 2023

Converter slag is a by-product generated by refining the pig iron produced into molten steel in the blast furnace, occupying about 15 % of the weight of steel production. It has a high free-CaO content that can generate expansion cracks when used for concrete aggregate. This is the main reason to make it difficult to recycle. To solve this problem, government guideline requires that converter slag has to be aged in an open yard for 90 days. However, aging can not be perfectly performed because it entails time and cost. In this study, we tried to investigate the applicability of converter slag as a cementitious material rather than an aggregate by mixing converter slag with mortar formulations. According to the EDS results of the converter slag in the experiment, we found that screening in the aggregate phase was more effective than that in the powder phase. When the particles separated by a magnet in the aggregate state were pulverized and used for concrete up to a 15 % replacement ratio, various engineering characteristics, such as flow, length change, and compressive strength, showed engineering characteristics similar to those of the control mix.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.737-753
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• 2023

Abandoned mines represent unused space resulting from resource use and changes in industrial environments. Efforts are underway to repurpose such underground spaces, leveraging their unique attributes of temperature stability, shading, and security. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of operating high-demand data centers and public sports facilities as potential recycling options for abandoned mine spaces. The status of data centers located in abandoned mines abroad was examined, including their operational technology capitalizing on the advantages of underground spaces. Considering the varying sizes of underground spaces in different types of abandoned mine in South Korea, the suitability of installing facilities for 12 different sports was evaluated for potential contributions to the health and welfare of local residents. The utilization of abandoned mine spaces as data centers and public sports facilities is expected to not only recycle industrial heritage but also to allow new development opportunities for local communities.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.67 no.6
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• pp.420-428
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• 2023

Crosslinking was introduced into vinylized-mesoporous silica and recycled polyethylene. By introducing a vinyl group into the mesoporous silica, it becomes a material capable of inducing cross-linking with non-polar polyethylene. By synthesizing vinylized-mesoporous silica and inducing crosslinking with recycled polyethylene, a recycled polyethylene composite with improved physical properties than existing recycled polyethylene was synthesized. In addition, even when a small amount is added according to the grade of recycled polyethylene using vinylized-mesoporous silica, the crosslinking reaction proceeds and all physical properties are improved. Four types of vinylized-mesoporous silica were synthesized, and the shape, microstructure, and functional groups were analyzed by TEM, BET, FT-IR, and XRD. Using vinylized-mesoporous silica, three types of compounds were blended by crosslinking reaction with recycled polyethylene. In order to confirm the presence or absence of crosslinking, analysis was performed using XPS and FT-IR, and physical properties such as tensile strength, elongation, flexural strength, and flexural modulus were confirmed using a universal testing machine. As a result, by applying vinylized-mesoporous silica to recycled polyethylene in various grades, the weak physical properties of existing recycled polyethylene were overcome. By applying the vinylized-mesoporous silica, recycled polyethylene composite material that overcomes the weak physical properties to the normal polyethylene, it shows the optimal physical property index that can be used commercially. Therefore, it is expected that it can potentially increase the use of recycled polyethylene and recycle resources.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.39-47
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• 2024

In this study, the environmental implications of electric arc furnace steel slag, commonly used in road construction and soil reinforcement, were examined. Experiments were conducted to assess the leaching of heavy metals based on particle size and to investigate ion leaching from specimens with varying mixtures of steel slag and clay. The official waste test revealed no detectable heavy metals in the sample items. However, when subjected to leaching experiments and analyzed using ICP-OES, certain heavy metals were found. The reaction of steel slag with water, facilitated by free CaO within the slag, was identified as the cause of leaching. Results showed that aluminum, exhibiting the highest leaching rate, displayed an inverse relationship with particle size. In mixed soil containing steel slag and clay, higher steel slag content resulted in increased aluminum leaching. Nonetheless, the quantity of leached aluminum was notably lower in mixed soil compared to pure steel slag. Furthermore, leaching of other heavy metals remained within acceptable limits. These findings suggest that recycling mixed soil of steel slag and clay for road construction or soil stabilization presents reduced environmental risks compared to using steel slag alone. Utilizing such mixtures could offer an environmentally sustainable and safe alternative.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2024

According to the IEA (2022), global rechargeable battery demand is expected to reach 1.3 TWh in 2040. EV batteries will account for about 80% of this demand, and used EV batteries are expected to be discharged after 30 years. Used EV batteries can be recycled and reused to create new value. They can also resolve one of the most vulnerable parts of the battery supply chain: raw material insecurity. In this study, we analyzed the amount of used batteries generated by EV in Korea and their potential for reuse and recycling. As a result, it was estimated that the annual generation of used batteries for EV began to increase to more than 100,000 in '31 and expanded to 810,000 in '45. In addition, it was found that the market for recycling EV batteries in '45 could be expected to be equivalent to the production of 1 million batteries, and the market for reuse could be expected to be equivalent to the production of 36 Gwh of batteries. On the other hand, according to the plan standard disclosed by the recycling company, domestic used EV batteries can account for 11% of the domestic recycling processing capacity (pre-treatment) ('30). So it will be important to manage the import and export of used batteries in terms of securing raw materials.