• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.505-511
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• 2009

The hydriding and electrochemical characteristics of Zr-based $AB_2$ alloy produced by gas atomization have been extensively examined. For the particle morphology of the as-cast and gas-atomized powders, it can be seen that the mechanically crushed powders are irregular, while the atomized powder particles are spherical. The increase of jet pressure of gas atomization process results in the decrease of hydrogen storage capacity and the slope of plateau pressure significantly increases. TEM and EDS studies showed the increase of jet pressure in the atomization process accelerated the phase separation within grain of the gas-atomized alloy, which brought about a poor hydrogenation property. However, the gas-atomized $AB_2$ alloy powders produced by jet pressure of 50 bar kept up the reversible $H_2$ storage capacity and discharge capacity similar to the mechanically crushed particles. In addition, the electrode of gas-atomized Zr-based $AB_2$ alloy of 50 bar showed improved cyclic stability over that of the cast and crushed particulate, which is attributed to the restriction of crack propagation by grain boundary and dislocation with ch/discharging cycling.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.668-674
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• 2017

Experimental verification of boron species in fuel CRUD (Chalk River Unidentified Deposit) would provide essential and important information about the root cause of CRUD-induced power shifts (CIPS). To date, only bonaccordite and elemental boron were reported to exist in fuel CRUD in CIPS-troubled pressurized water reactor (PWR) cores and lithium tetraborate to exist in simulated PWR fuel CRUD from some autoclave tests. We have reevaluated previous analysis of similar threadlike crystals along with examining some similar threadlike crystals from CRUD samples collected from a PWR cycle that had no indications of CIPS. These threadlike crystals have a typical [Ni]/[Fe] atomic ratio of ~2 and similar crystal morphology as the one (bonaccordite) reported previously. In addition to electron diffraction study, we have applied electron energy loss spectroscopy to determine boron content in such a crystal and found a good agreement with that of bonaccordite. Surprisingly, such crystals seem to appear also on corroded surfaces of Alloy 600 that was exposed to simulated PWR primary water with a dissolved hydrogen level of $5mL\;H_2/kg\;H_2O$, but absent when exposed under $75mL\;H_2/kg\;H_2O$ condition. It remains to be verified as to what extent and in which chemical environment this phase would be formed in PWR primary systems.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.116-123
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• 2002

The characteristics of two commercial 2xxx series Al alloy powders, AMB2712 and 201AB, were evaluated and their compacting and sintering characteristics were discussed in tems of compacting pressure. The particle shapes of both two powder mixtures were irregular and their particle size distributions were broad. The compactibility of AMB2712 was superior to that of 201AB because of better fluidity. The sintered density was higher than the green density at low compacting pressure, however, it was lower than the green density when the samples were compacted at higher pressure due to the selling during sintering. The sintered density was alomost the same as the green density at the "homogeneous deformation" stage. It was observed that pores were created at the triple points due to the rapid diffusion of Cu in Al. Cu in Al.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.9-22
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• 1994

Porcelain and resin are widely used in esthetic dentistry. In the field of esthetic dentistry, the color and color stability of prosthetic materials are very important in esthetics. In this study, porcelain and resin with the same color were used to veneer on the 3 different metal alloys. Color was evaluated by the CIE $L^*a^*b^*$ system. The purpose of this study was evaluated the cole, difference and cole, stability of the specimens, according to the veneered materials and types of metal alloys. Specimens were divided into 6 groups as follows ; Group 1; Porcelain on the precious metal alloy Group 2; Porcelain on the semiprecious metal alloy Group 3; Porcelain on the nonprecious metal alloy Group 4; Resin on the precious metal alloy Group 5; Resin on the semiprecious metal alloy Group 6; Resin on the nonprecious metal alloy The results obtained were as follows; 1. In porcelain specimens, $L^*$ values showed no significant difference and $a^*$ value of group 2 was lower than that of groups 1, 3 and $b^*$ value of group 2 was higher than that of groups 1, 3. The ${\Delta}E^*ab$ values between group 1-2, group 2-3 were higher than 1.5. 2. In resin specimens. $L^*$ value of group 6 was lower than that of groups 4, 5, $a^*$ value of group 4 was higher than that of group 6, $b^*$ value of group 4 was higher than that of groups 5, 6. The ${\Delta}E^*ab$ values between group 4-5, group 5-6 were higher than 1.5, and between group 4-6 was higher than 3.0. 3. Comparing with veneered materials, $L^*$ flues of porcelain were higher than that of resin. 3. Comparing with veneered materials, $L^*$ values of porcelain were higher than that of resin. In semiprecious metal alloy, $a^*$ values of porcelain were lower than that of resin. In semiprecious and nonprecious metal alloy, $b^*$ values of porcelain were higher than that of resin. The ${\Delta}E^*ab values were higher than 6.0. 4. The color stability of resin specimen was relatively inferior to porcelain specimen.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.12 no.S1
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• pp.104-106
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• 2003

In this study, the electronic structures and physical properties of Ni$_2$MnGa alloy films and their dependence on the order-disorder structural transitions were investigated. The results show that the ordered films behave nearly the same as the bulk $Ni_2$MnGa alloy, including the martensitic transformation at 200 K. Unexpectedly, the disordering in $Ni_2$MnGa alloy films does not lead to any appreciable magnetic ordering down to 4 K. An annealing of the disordered films restores the ordered structure with an almost full recovery of the magnetic and the transport properties of the ordered $Ni_2$MnGa alloy films. A possible explanation of the disappearance of magnetic moment in the disordered film is given by using the ab initio first-principles electronic-structure calculations.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 1998

[ $AB_2-type$ ] alloy, one kind of hydrogen storage alloys used as an anode of Ni-MH batteries, has large discharge capacity but has remaining problems regarding initial activation, cycle life and self-discharge. This study investigates the effects of Cr-addition and fluorination after La-addition on $Zr_{0.7}Ti_{0.3}V_{0.4}Mn_{0.4}Ni_{1.2}$, composition $AB_2-type$ alloy. EPMA and SEM surface analysis techniques were used and the crystal structure was characterized by XRD analysis. In addition, electrodes were fabricated out of the alloys and characterized by constant current cycling test, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization. Cr-addition was found to be effective to cycle life and self-discharge but ineffective to initial activation due to formation of stable oxide film on surface. Fluorination after La-addition to the alloys improved initial activation remarkably due to formation of highly reactive particles on surface.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.79-90
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• 1997

Extensive work has been done on investigating the inner cell pressure characteristics of sealed type Ni-MH battery in which Zr-Ti-Mn-V-Ni alloy is used as anode. The inner cell pressure of this type Ni-MH battery much more increases with the charge/discharge cycling than that of the other type Ni-MH battery where commercialized $AB_5$ type alloy is used as anode. The increase of inner cell pressure in the sealed type Ni/MH battery using Zr-Ti-Mn-V-Ni alloy system is mainly due to the accumulation of oxygen gas during charge/discharge cycling. The accumulation of oxygen gas arises mainly due to the low rate of oxygen recombination on the MH electrode surface during charge/discharge cycling. The difference of oxygen recombination rate between $AB_5$ type electrode and Zr-Ti-Mn-V-Ni electrode is caused by the difference of electrode reaction surface area resulting from different particle size after their activation and the difference of surface catalytic activity for oxygen recombination reaction, respectively. After EIS analysis, it is identified that the surface catalytic activity affects much more dominantly on the oxygen recombination reaction than the reaction surface area does. In order to suppress the inner cell pressure of Ni-MH battery where Zr-Ti-Mn-V-Ni is used as anode, it is suggested that the surface catalytic activity for oxygen recombination should be improved.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.177-189
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• 2001

T hydrogen absorption-desorption behavior induced by thermal or hydrogen pressure cycling in a closed system was observed in hydrogen storage alloys, $(La-R-Mm)Ni_{4.5}Fe_{0.5}$, $MmNi_4Fe_{0.85}Cu_{0.15}$ and $(Ce-F-Mm)Ni_{4.7}Al_{0.2}Fe_{0.1}$. Thereby (La-R-Mm), Mm and (Ce-F-Mm) refer to La-rich mischmetal, mischmetal and Ce-free mischmetal respectively. As the results, it is found that the alloy stabilities during thermal cycling varies with alloy composition change. The highest stability occurs in $MmNi_4Fe_{0.85}Cu_{0.15}$ and the lowest stability in $(La-R-Mm)Ni_{4.5}Fe_{0.5}$. Comparing hydrogen pressure cycling with thermal cycling, pressure cycling causes severer degradation of the alloy $(Ce-F-Mm)Ni_{4.7}Al_{0.2}Fe_{0.1}$ than thermal cycling. When the 1500 times-cycled alloy is annealed at $400^{\circ}C$ for 3hrs under 1 atm of hydrogen pressure the hydrogen storage capacity is recovered only partially but not completely to the initial capacity. The amount of capacity loss after annealing is larger in the hydrogen pressure cycled samples than in the thermal cycled, suggesting an incoming of impure gas during hydrogen pressure cycling.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.157-164
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• 1996

The AB5-type metal hydride electrodes using $(LM)Ni_{4.49}Co_{0.1}Mn_{0.205}Al_{0.205}$(LM : Lanthaniumrich Mischmetal) alloy powders(${\leq}200$mesh) which were coated with 25wt% copper in an acidic bath were prepared with or without addition of 10wt% PTFE as a binder. Prior to electrochemical measurements, the electrodes were sintered at $40^{\circ}C$ for 1 and 2hrs in vacuum with Mm(mischmetal) and sponge type Ti getters. The properties such as maximum capacity, cycle life and mechanical strength of the negative electrode have been investigated. The surface analysis of the electrode was also obtained before and after charge-discharge cycling using scanning electron microscope(SEM). From the observations of electrochemical behavior, it was found that the sintered electrode shows a lower maximum discharge capacity compared with non-sintered electrode but it shows a better cycle life. For the both electrodes with or without addition of PTFE binder, the values of mechanical strength were obtained, and their values increased with increasing sintering time. However, there is little difference of discharge capacity for both electrodes.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.161-171
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• 1997

$AB_2$ type Zr-based Laves phase alloys have been studied for potential application as negative electrode in Ni/MH batteries. However, They have a serious disadvantage of poor activation behavior in KOH solution. In this work, a new method of alloy design method was tried for improving Zr-based alloy activation. this method has focused on phase controlling to make multi-phase microstructure. In the case of multi-phase Zr-V-Mn-Ni shows good performance in activation, but activation mechanism has not been known. So, we were in search of elucidating this mechanism, Using morphological and electrochemical analysis, we could find that surface morphology and electocatalytic activity of the alloy change during immersion in KOH solution. V-rich second phases are selectively corroded and dissolved and then become Ni-rich phases. Resulting from these surface reaction in KOH solution, self-hydrogen charging occurs through Ni-rich phase. However, the alloy has poor cyclic durability because of such a corrosion mechanism. Therefore, finally we developed durable alloys by substitution of other alloying element.