• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.182-188
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• 2016

In this paper, a feasible strategy for the recycling of nuclear graphite is reported, based on the formation mechanism and the removal of carbon-14 by micro-oxidation. We investigated whether ground micro-oxidation graphite could be used as a filler to make new recycled graphite and which graphite/pitch coke ratio will give the recycled graphite outstanding properties (e.g., apparent density, flexural strength, compressive strength, and tensile strength). According to the existing properties of nuclear graphite, the ratio of graphite to pitch coke should not exceed 3. The recycled reactor graphite has been proven superior in density, strength, and thermal conductivity. The micro-oxidation process enhances the strength of the recycled graphite because there are more pores and unsmooth surfaces on the oxidized graphite particles, which is beneficial for the access of the pitch binder and leads to efficient joint adhesion among the graphite particles.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.395-404
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• 2019

In the case of fire, surface treatment agents used in external insulation finishing methods are substances that are vulnerable to fire due to thin finishes and the combustion of polymers. In this study, it was expected that the performance of surface preparation mortars could be improved by using expandable graphite with excellent thermal performance. Experimental results showed that the mechanical properties of surf ace preparation mortar were improved by using the fly ash and silica fume. Surface treatment materials using expanded graphite have a characteristic of expanding when a fire occurs. It has been shown that heat-swellable surface treatment materials can reduce the penetration of heat sources into the surface of synthetic insulation.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.797-801
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• 2020

Most of irradiated graphite that should be disposed comes from moderators and reflectors of nuclear power plants. The quantity of irradiated graphite could be higher in the future if high-temperature reactors (HTRs) will be deployed. In this case noteworthy quantities of fuel pebbles containing semi-graphitic carbonaceous material should be added to the already existing 250,000 tons of irradiated graphite. Industry graphite is largely used in industrial applications for its high thermal and electrical conductivity and thermal and chemical resistance, making it a valuable material. Irradiated graphite constitutes a waste management challenge owing to the presence of long-lived radionuclides, such as ¹⁴C and ³⁶Cl. In the ENEA Nuclear Material Characterization Laboratory it has been successfully designed a procedure based on the exfoliation process organic solvent assisted, with the purpose of investigate the possibility of achieving graphite significantly less toxic that could be recycled for other purpose [1]. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the possibility of the scalability from laboratory to industrial dimensions of the exfoliation process and provide the prototype of a chemical plant for the treatment of irradiated graphite.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.16-21
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• 2017

This paper relates to the synthesis of a source powder for SiC crystal growth. ${\beta}-SiC$ powders are synthesized at high temperatures (>$1400^{\circ}C$) by a reaction between silicon powder and carbon powder. The reaction is carried out in a graphite crucible operating in a vacuum ambient (or Ar gas) over a period of time sufficient to cause the Si+C mixture to react and form poly-crystalline SiC powder. End-product characterizations are pursued with X-ray diffraction analysis, SEM/EDS, particle size analyzer and ICP-OES. The purity of the end-product was analyzed with the Korean Standard KS L 1612.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.199-205
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• 2015

The mechanical and thermal properties of high temperature aluminate cementitious thermal storage materials were investigated in this paper. Alumina cement was used as basic binder and the effect of the replacement of fly ash, silica fume, calcium sulfo-aluminate and graphite for alumina cement was investigated. Experiments were performed to measure mechanical properties including compressive strength before and after thermal cycling, and split tensile strength, and to measure thermal properties including thermal conductivity and specific heat. Test results show that the residual compressive strengths of mixtures with alumina cement only, or alumina cement and silica fume were greater than those of the others. Additionally, the specific heat of mixture with graphite was largest in all the mixtures used in the study. The results of this study could be used to provide realistic information for material properties in thermal energy storage concrete in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2024

A novel approach is presented to address issues associated with the use of strong acidic solutions for the leaching of magnesium oxide (MgO) from spent magnesia-carbon refractories. An ultrasonic flotation and separation process is employed, with a mildly acidic solvent, acetic acid, used to selectively chelate MgO from the spent refractories. When using 2 M acetic acid as a solvent, the recovery of the graphite exhibited 99.7 % with high purity of 72.7 %, showing a significant improvement compared to using water as the solvent. Furthermore, the technology presented in this study offers a method for producing magnesium acetate through the reaction of MgO in spent refractory with acetic acid, providing a means for the purification and separation of graphite.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.179-186
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• 2021

In this study, we attempted to comparatively analyze the structural characteristics of soot generated from marine engines to review the possibility of recycling crankcase soot by classifying it as exhaust soot and crankcase soot. The annealing procedure was performed in an argon gas atmosphere at 2,000℃ and 2,700℃, and Raman spectroscopy and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy(HRTEM) were used to analyze the structural properties of the samples. Furthermore, digital image processing techniques were utilized to quantitatively analyze the acquired HRTEM images. The Raman analysis demonstrated a relatively high G/D ratio in the exhaust soot and annealing conditions at 2,700℃. In the HRTEM images, both soot were able to identify similar forms of graphite nanostructures, but there were limitations in that they could not quantitatively derive differences in the degree of graphite depending on the type of soot and annealing temperature. Thus, digital image processing quantitatively analyzed the length and tortuosity of the fringe of the HRTEM image, which is consistent with the Raman analysis. This meant that the exhaust soot had a more graphite structure than the crankcase soot, and that annealing at a higher temperature improved the graphite structure. This study confirmed that both the crankcase soot and exhaust soot can be recycled as a graphite materials.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.138-144
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• 2023

In this study, the effect of electrochemical treatment in mitigating alkali leaching into an aquatic environment was investigated. To modify the surface of cement paste, 1000 mA/m² of the direct current was passed through anodic graphite to the external mesh for 4 weeks. Then, the cement paste specimen was exposed to still water in air-tight condition to prevent natural healing of alkali leaching in the water. For 100 days of monitoring in water, the pH value was marginally increased at the electrochemical treatment, while control specimen ranked to the even higher pH accounting for 13.2 in the pH. Moreover, after the pH monitoring, the pH profile for the paste specimen indicated that the electrochemical treatment was effective in securing the higher alkalinity of cement matrix. The water obtained from alkali leaching process, was used to ecological test for Daphnia magna. It was evident that the electrochemical treatment had minimal adverse effect on ecological impact, while control specimen mostly immobilized the standard Daphnia magna.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.114-120
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• 2020

In this study, we analyzed the structural characteristics of soot, which is one of the anticipated regulatory substances of the IMO, and used a novel classification method to distinguish between exhaust soot and engine soot in marine engines. As an extension of a recent study on exhaust soot recycling, annealing was performed at 2,000 ℃ on engine soot to determine whether it could be recycled. Soot samples before and after annealing were analyzed using HR-TEM and Raman spectroscopy. The HR-TEM results showed that exhaust soot and engine soot had similar nanostructures; the exhaust soot has a spherical primary particle with a chain-like structure, whereas engine soot particles have amorphous structures. The Raman spectroscopy showed a D-peak and a G-peak for both exhaust soot and engine soot. However, the G/D ratio indicated that the value of exhaust soot was relatively higher than that of engine soot, which implies that the exhaust soot has a more graphitized structure. The analysis of annealed engine soot confirmed that graphitization proceeded without any problems, similar to the exhaust soot. This confirmed that both exhaust soot and engine soot generated by marine diesel engines could be recycled as graphite materials.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.87-91
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• 2017

Carbon-encapsulated Ni and metal Ni nanoparticles were synthesized by levitational gas condensation (LGC). Methane ($CH_4$) gas was used to coat the surface of the Ni nanoparticles. The Ni particles had a core diameter of 10 nm, and were covered by 2~3 nm thin carbon layers with multi-shells structure.The low magnetization comparing with the Ni nanoparticles without carbon-shell results in the coexistence of nonmagnetic carbon and a large surface spin percentage with disordered magnetization orientation for the nanoparticles. Biginelli reactions in the presence of L-proline and Ni and carbon encapsulated Ni nanoparticles were carried out to change the ratio between stereoisomers. The obtained S-enantiomers for 3,4-dihydropyrimidine (DHPM) using catalysts of Ni, and Ni@C was an excess of about ${\Delta}{\sim}7.4%$ and ${\Delta}{\sim}19.6%$, respectively. The nanopowders were fully recovered using magnet to reuse as a catalyst. The Ni@C was shown at same yield to formation of 3,4-DHPM, though it was recycled for catalyst in the reaction.