• Composites Research
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• 제35권3호
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• pp.153-160
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• 2022

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) based on wood pulp fibers are gained much attention as part of biocompatible hydrogels for biomedical applications such as tissue engineering scaffolds, biomedicine, and drug carrier. However, CNF hydrogels have relatively poor mechanical properties, impeding their applications requiring high mechanical integrity. In this work, we prepare 2,2,6,6-tetramethylipiperidin-oxyl (TEMPO) oxidated cellulose nanofibrils hydrogels mediated with metal cations, which form the metal-carboxylate coordination bonds for enhanced mechanical strength and toughness. We conduct the large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) test and Live/dead cell assay for obtaining nonlinear viscoelastic parameters and cell viability, respectively. In particular, the cell proliferation and viability change depending on the type of metal salt, which also affected the rheological properties of the hydrogels.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제21권6호
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• pp.466-475
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• 2022

Surface oxides and intergranular (IG) oxidation phenomena in Alloy 600 depending on hydrogen concentration were characterized to obtain clear insight into the primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) behavior upon exposure to pressurized water reactor primary water. When hydrogen concentration was between 5 and 30 cm³ H₂/kg H₂O, NiFe₂O₄ and NiO type oxides were found on the surface. NiO type oxides were found inside the oxidized grain boundary when hydrogen concentration was 5 cm³ H₂/kg H₂O. However, only NiFe₂O₄ spinel on the surface and Ni enrichment were observed when hydrogen concentration was 30 cm³ H₂/kg H₂O. These results indicate that the oxidation/reduction reaction of Ni in Alloy 600 depending on hydrogen concentration can considerably affect surface oxidation behavior. It appears that the formation of NiO type oxides in a Ni oxidation state and Ni enrichment in a Ni reduction (or metallic) state are common in primary water. It is believed that the above different oxidation/reduction reactions of Ni in Alloy 600 depending on hydrogen concentration can also significantly affect the resistance to PWSCC of Alloy 600.

• Resources Recycling
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• 제31권6호
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• pp.18-24
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• 2022

Dry reduction using natural gas was proposed to recover tin from waste tin oxide generated in a tin bath that was used for controlling the smoothness of architectural glass during production, and the reduction behavior was investigated. The utilized vertical natural gas dry reduction system is capable to process 4 L or 20 kg depending on input raw materials. The system was established by applying the upper intake and lower discharge method. The recovery rate was 97.2% at 800 ℃ and 4 sccm flow rate and increased with the amount of input gas. Hydrogen accounted for 23% of the discharge gas, showing a 16.6% hydrogen conversion rate. The reaction behavior of tin recovered via natural gas reduction provides basic data on the new waste resource reduction/recovery technology.

• Composites Research
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2009

The mechanical characteristics of gamma-ray irradiated UHMWPE specimens were investigated under various heat treatment conditions. The heat treatment was performed in the range of annealing and remelting temperatures. The annealing treatment below the temperature of $130^{\circ}C$ hardly induced changes in the tensile strength, the strain at the failure and the hardness. However the remelting treatment above $140^{\circ}C$ deteriorated those mechanical properties. It was shown in an FTIR analysis that the annealing treatment caused some oxidation of free radicals created by the pretreatment of the irradiation. These quantitative data represented by the behavior of mechanical properties might be used as basic informations for the design and analysis of various artificial joints.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.143-147
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• 2008

U(IV) ion, the valance state of uranium presumed at in a deep-depth disposal of a spent fuel, was prepared and separated from U(VI) ion. In order to prepare U(IV) ion, tests were performed by adding several reducing agents into a uranyl solution or by dissolution of uranium oxide in a mixed acid added with a reducing agent. The valance states of the uranium in the prepared solutions were identified by separating two ions with a Dowex AG 50W-X8 cation exchange resins and measuring the solutions using a laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. However, U(IV) and U(VI) were not separated by a Lichroprep Si60 exchange resin in the same separation condition of Pu(IV) and Pu(VI).

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.134-140
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• 2023

Activated carbon is a carbonaceous material mainly used as a gaseous or liquid adsorbent. As fire-related accidents occur consistently due to the accumulation of heat of adsorption and oxidation of volatile organic compounds, the explosive characteristics and thermal stability of powdered and granular activated carbon made from coal and coconut shells were evaluated. As a result of the particle size analysis, the powdered activated carbon was in the particle size range (0.4~3) ㎛, and thermal properties such as exothermic onset temperature and decomposition behavior were analyzed using a differential scanning calorimetry and a thermogravimetric analysis. As a result of the evaluation of the explosion hazards for dust, both coal-based and coconut-based powdered activated carbon are classified as St1 class with weak explosion, but this is a relative and does not mean that the explosion hazards is absolutely low. Therefore, it is necessary to establish countermeasures for reducing the damage.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• 제54권2호
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• pp.299-308
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• 2021

Fe(II) released from mining activities is precipitated as various Fe(III)-oxyhydroxides when exposed to an oxidizing environment including mine drainage. Ferrihydrite, one of the representative precipitated Fe(III) minerals, is easy to adsorb heavy metals and other pollutants due to the large specific surface area caused by very low crystallinity. Ferrihydrite is transformed to thermodynamically more stable goethite in the natural environment. Hence, information on the transformation of ferrihydrite to goethite and the related mobility of heavy metals in the acid mine drainage is important to predict the behaviors of those elements during ferrihydrite to goethite transition. The behaviors of heavy metals during the transformation of ferrihydrite to goethite were investigated for core samples collected from an AMD treatment system in the Heungjin-Taemaek coal mine by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis, and statistical analysis. XRD results showed that ferrihydrite gradually transformed to goethite from the top to the bottom of the core samples. Chemical analysis showed that the relative concentration of As was significantly high in the core samples compared with that in the drainage, indicating that As was likely to be adsorbed strongly on or coprecipitated with iron oxyhydroxide. Correlation analysis also indicated that As can be easily removed from mine drainage during iron mineral precipitation due to its high affinity to Fe. The concentration ratio of As, Cd, Co, Ni, and Zn to Fe generally decreased with depth in the core samples, suggesting that mineral transformation can increase those concentrations in the drainage. In contrast, the concentration ratio of Cr to Fe increased with depth, which can be explained by the chemical bond of iron oxide and chromate, and surface charge of ferrihydrite and goethite.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• 제39권11호
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• pp.634-640
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• 2017

Toxicity and fate assessment is necessary in the evaluation of the environmental, health and safety risks of engineered nanomaaterials (ENMs). Therefore, in order to ensure the reproducibility, reliability and relevance of ENMs toxicity results, stable and monomodal dispersion protocols in toxicity test media are needed. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (nZnO) are widely used in various products such as cosmetic products, paper, paints etc. In this study, nZnO dispersions in ecotoxicity test media were produced by following a series of steps of modified National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special publication 1200-5. In addition, natural organic matter (humic acid (HA)) was used as a stabilizing agent to disperse nZnO in the test media. The hydrodynamic diameters (HDD) of the nZnO in dispersion ranged between 150 and 200 nm according to the dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurement. Based on these dispersions in ecotoxicity test using ecological species (Oryzias latipes, Daphnia magna, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Chironomusus riparius), dispersion protocol was found to have a considerable potential in ecotoxicity test of ENMs.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.421-433
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• 2023

The final disposal of spent nuclear fuel(SNF) from nuclear power plants takes place in a deep geological repository. The metal canister encasing the SNF is made of cast iron and copper, and is engineered to effectively isolate radioactive isotopes for a long period of time. The SNF is further shielded by a multi-barrier disposal system comprising both engineering and natural barriers. The deep disposal environment gradually changes to an anaerobic reducing environment. In this environment, sulfide is one of the most probable substances to induce corrosion of copper canister. Stress-corrosion cracking(SCC) triggered by sulfide can carry substantial implications for the integrity of the copper canister, potentially posing a significant threat to the long-term safety of the deep disposal repository. Sulfate can exist in various forms within the deep disposal environment or be introduced from the geosphere. Sulfate has the potential to be transformed into sulfide by sulfate-reducing bacteria(SRB), and this converted sulfide can contribute to the corrosion of the copper canister. Bentonite, which is considered as a potential material for buffering and backfilling, contains oxidized sulfate minerals such as gypsum(CaSO4). If there is sufficient space for microorganisms to thrive in the deep disposal environment and if electron donors such as organic carbon are adequately supplied, sulfate can be converted to sulfide through microbial activity. However, the majority of the sulfides generated in the deep disposal system or introduced from the geosphere will be intercepted by the buffer, with only a small amount reaching the metal canister. Pyrite, one of the potential sulfide minerals present in the deep disposal environment, can generate sulfates during the dissolution process, thereby contributing to the corrosion of the copper canister. However, the quantity of oxidation byproducts from pyrite is anticipated to be minimal due to its extremely low solubility. Moreover, the migration of these oxidized byproducts to the metal canister will be restricted by the low hydraulic conductivity of saturated bentonite. We have comprehensively analyzed and summarized key research cases related to the presence of sulfates, reduction processes, and the formation and behavior characteristics of sulfides and pyrite in the deep disposal environment. Our objective was to gain an understanding of the impact of sulfates and sulfides on the long-term safety of high-level radioactive waste disposal repository.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.229-240
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• 2009

In Gosung, the symptoms similar to itai-itai disease from neighboring residents of the Samsanjeil mine have been social issues. Therefore, various researches on the behavior of heavy metals of the tailings impoundment of 280,000 ton in the Samsanjeil mine are required. In this paper, mineralogical and geochemical studies on the tailings at different depths in the Samsanjeil mine were investigated and the factors on the behavior of heavy metals were also studied. At two sampling sites (NN and SN), samples were collected at different depths down to 1 m. At NN sites, pH values decreased with depth, while those at SN sites did not show significant changes. XRD analysis showed that the main minerals in the tailings were quartz, microcline, muscovite, and chlorite with minor amount of gypsum. There were no noticeable changes in the mineral composition with depth. At NN sites, the amount of calcite was negligible, and jarosite, which usually occurs at acid soil or acid mine drainage at pH lower than 4, was identified. However, the samples at SN site contained relatively high contents of calcite with pyrite. Therefore, calcite seemed to buffer the acid and control pH at SN site. The contents of heavy metals in tailings were in the order of Cu > As > Zn > Pb > Co > Cr > Ni > Cd. The heavy metal concentrations in the tailings were closely related with pH changes. The concentrations of Cd and Co were much lower at NN site at which pH values are low than those at SN sites. Contrary to that, Cr and As which exist as oxyanions showed higher concentrations at SN sites. This result showed that the behaviors of heavy metals in our study area were controlled by pH which is influenced by the contents of calcite.