• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.458-465
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• 2022

Interest in the use of semiconductor-based photocatalyst materials for the degradation of organic pollutants in a liquid phase has grown, due to their excellent performance and response to the light source. Herein, we fabricated a NiO-SiC-TiO₂ ternary structured photocatalyst which had reduced bandgap energy, with strong activation under UV-light irradiation. The synthesized samples were examined using XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, DRS, EIS techniques and photocurrent measurement. The results confirmed that the two types of metal oxides were well bonded to the SiC fiber surface. The junction of the new photocatalyst exhibited a large number of photoexcited electrons and holes. The holes tended to oxidize the water and form a hydroxyl radical, which promoted the decomposition of methylene blue. The close contact between the 2D SiC fiber and metal oxide semiconductors expanded the scope of absorption wavelength, and enhanced the usability of the ternary photocatalyst for the degradation of methylene blue. Among three synthesized samples, the NiO-SiC-TiO₂ showed the best photocatalytic effect, and was considered to have excellent photoelectron transfer due to the synergy effect between the metal oxide and SiC.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.84 no.6
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• pp.733-741
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• 2022

The amount of natural gas that is used on a worldwide scale is continuously going up. Natural gas and acidic components, such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide, cause significant corrosion damage to transmission lines and equipment in various quantities. One of the fundamental processes in natural gas processing is the separation of acid gases, among which the safety and environmental needs due to the high toxicity of hydrogen sulfide and also to prevent wear and corrosion of pipelines and gas transmission and distribution equipment, the necessity of sulfide separation Hydrogen is more essential than carbon dioxide and other compounds. Given this problem's significance, this endeavor aims to extend the lifespan of the transmission lines' pipes for gas and oil. Zinc oxide nanoparticles made from the environmentally friendly source of Allium scabriscapum have been employed to accomplish this crucial purpose. This is a simple, safe and cheap synthesis method compared to other methods, especially chemical methods. The formation of zinc oxide nanoparticles was shown by forming an absorption peak at a wavelength of about 355 nm using a spectrophotometric device and an X-ray diffraction pattern. The size and morphology of synthesized nanoparticles were determined by scanning and transmission electron microscope, and the range of size changes of nanoparticles was determined by dynamic light scattering device.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.254-262
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• 2023

Novel thermo-optically focus-switchable Fresnel zone plates based on phase-change metafilms are designed and analyzed at a visible wavelength (660 nm). By virtue of the large thermo-optic response of vanadium dioxide (VO₂) thin film, a phase-change material, four different plasmonic phase-change absorbers are numerically designed as actively tunable Gires-Tournois Al-VO₂ metafilms in two and three dimensions. The designed phase-change metafilm unit cells are used as the building blocks of actively focus-switchable Fresnel zone plates with strong focus switching contrast (40%, 83%) and high numerical apertures (1.52, 1.70). The Fresnel zone plates designed in two and three dimensions work as cylindrical and spherical lenses in reflection type, respectively. The coupling between the thermo-optic effect of VO₂ and localized plasmonic resonances in the Al nanostructures offer a large degree of freedom in design and high-contrast focus-switching performance based on largely tunable absorption resonances. The proposed method may have great potential in photothermal and electrothermal active optical devices for nonlinear optics, microscopy, 3D scanning, optical trapping, and holographic displays over a wide spectral range including the visible and infrared regimes.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.48.2-48.2
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• 2019

Light from universe is absorbed, scattered, and re-released by interstellar dust before it reaches us. Therefore, accurate correction of the observed light requires not only spatial distribution of interstellar dust, but also information on absorption and scattering for each wavelength. Far-ultraviolet (FUV) light is mainly produced by bright, young O-type and some B-type stars, but it is also observed in interstellar space without these stars. Called FUV Galactic light (DGL), these lights are mostly known as starlight scattered by interstellar dust. With the recent release of GAIA DR2, not only accurate distance information of stars in our Galaxy, but also accurate three-dimensional distribution maps of interstellar dust of our Galaxy were produced. Based on this, we performed 3-dimensional Monte Carlo dust scattering radiative transfer simulations for FUV light to obtain dust scattered FUV images and compared them with the observed FUV image obtained by FIMS and GALEX. From this, we find the scattering properties of interstellar dust in our Galaxy and suggest the intensity of extragalactic background light. These results are expected to aid in the study of chemical composition, size distribution, shape, and alignment of interstellar dust in our Galaxy.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.63-67
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• 2024

In this study, we successfully synthesized copper oxide (Cu₂O) particles through a hydrothermal method at a relatively low temperature (150℃). The synthesis involved the precise control of molar concentrations of NaOH. Notably, Cu₂O particles were effectively synthesized when NaOH concentrations of 0.15 M and 0.20 M were utilized. While attempts were made at different molar concentrations, the synthesis of pure Cu₂O particles was only achieved at concentrations of 0.15 M and 0.20 M. In this experimental investigation, Cu₂O synthesized under these specific conditions exhibited absorption characteristics within the wavelength range of 640 to 570 nm, consistently exhibiting a band gap energy of 1.9 eV. These Cu₂O particles, characterized by their small band gap energy and straightforward synthetic method, hold significant promise for various applications including semiconductors and solar cells.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.202-207
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• 2024

This study examines a manufacturing process for the photoelectrode material of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) intending to increase efficiency through the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon of nanoparticles with a composite structure made of Ag and TiO₂. This invention involves the use of Ag and TiO₂ nanoparticles in the solar cell. These nanoparticles cause surface plasmon resonance, which amplifies and scatters incident solar energy, enhancing the dye's rate of light absorption. It also makes it possible to absorb energy in wavelength ranges that were previously difficult to do, which increases efficiency. Centrifugal separation and heat synthesis are used to create the composite metal structures, and certain combinations are used to decide the particle morphologies. To increase the efficiency of organic solar cells and DSSC, the Ag/TiO₂ composite structure is therefore quite likely to be used.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.66
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• pp.106-113
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• 2023

Plant extracts have been studied due to their potential as photoprotective agents against UV and blue light exposure. Previous studies have revealed that several plant extracts have photoprotection capacities and synergistic effects with synthetic products. However, such results for pu'er tea and Curcuma longa L. have not been reported yet for a cosmetic formulation. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate photoprotection capacities of pu'er tea and C. longa L. extracts for a sunscreen compound. The pu'er tea extract improved sun protection factor value of 2-ethyl-hexyl methoxycinnamate (a synthetic sunscreen compound) by 46% and showed a high antioxidant capability that could help skin recover from photo-induced damage. C. longa L. extract also showed a potential to protect skin from blue light-induced damage because it not only had a maximum absorption peak at the blue light range, but also protected human fibroblasts from blue light-induced damage. The addition of both extracts shifted the critical wavelength of 2-ethyl-hexyl methoxycinnamate from 350 nm to 386 nm, giving it a broad-spectrum feature. Thus, pu'er tea and C. longa L. extracts may enhance the photoprotection ability of synthetic sunscreen products.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Surface Engineering Conference
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• 2016.11a
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• pp.59-75
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• 2016

Reduced or black $TiO_{2-x}$ materials with oxygen-deficiency have been achieved by creating oxygen vacancies and/or defects at the surface using different methods. Fascinatingly, they exhibited an extended absorption in VIS and IR instead of only UV light with bandgap decrease from 3.2 (anatase) to ~1 eV. However, despite the dramatic enhancement of optical absorption in black $TiO_{2-x}$ materials, they have failed to show expected visible light-assisted water splitting efficiency. This was ascribed to the high concentration of the surface defects and/or oxygen vacancies, considered as an electron donor to enhance donor density and improve the charge transportation in black $TiO_2$ can also act as charge recombination centers, which eventually decrease photocatalytic activity. Therefore, a black ot reducd $TiO_2$ material with optimized properties would be highly desired for visible light photocatalysis. In this report, a new controlled magnesiothermic reduction has been developed to synthesize reduced black $TiO_{2-x}$ in the presence $H_2/Ar$ for photocatalytic $H_2$ production from methanol-water system. The material possesses an optimum band gap and band position, oxygen vacancies, and surface defects and shows significantly improved optical absorption in the visible and infrared region. The synergistic effects enable the reduced $TiO_{2-x}$ material to show an excellent hydrogen production ability along with long-term stability under the full solar wavelength range of light and visible light, respectively, in the methanol-water system in the presence of Pt as a co-catalyst. These values are superior to those of previously reported black $TiO_2$ materials. On the basis of all the results, it can be realized that the outstanding activity and stability of the reduced of $TiO_{2-x}$ NPs suggest that a balanced combination of different factors like $Ti^{3+}$, surface defects, oxygen vacancy, and recombination center is achieved along with optimized bandgap and band position during the preparation employing magnesiothermic reduction in the presence of $H_2$. The controlled magnesiothermic reduction in the presence of $H_2$ is one of the best alternative ways to produce active and stable $TiO_2-based$ photocatalyst for $H_2$ production.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.346-353
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• 2009

Glucose and protein in urine are among the important substances for urine analysis and have generally been measured based on a reagent strip test. In this study, these two substances were measured using mid-infrared absorption spectroscopy. Samples were prepared from a commercial synthetic urine product. Glucose and albumin were added as well as red blood cells, which are expected to create the most spectroscopic interference of any substance. Concentrations of these substances were varied independently. Optimal wavelength regions were determined from a partial least squares regression analysis (glucose 980 - 1150/cm, albumin 1400 - 1570/cm). Interference by other substances increased the differences between measured and predicted values. Albumin measurement in particular weres heavily influenced by the presence of glucose and red blood cells. Depending on the inference by other substances, measurement errors were 29.85${\sim}$45.19 mg/dl for a glucose level between 0 and 1000 mg/dl and 14.0${\sim}$93.11 mg/dl for an albumin level of 0 ${\sim}$ 500 mg/dl. Our study proposes an alternative to the chemical test-strip analysis, which shows only discrete concentration levels.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 1995

Blood lead assay by $D_2$ lamp background correction method of atomic absorption spectrophotometer(AAS) with wavelength of 283.3 nm is most popular in occupational health practice in Korea. On the other hand, $D_2$ lamp background correction method with wavelength of 217.0 nm is also often used in general chemical analysis for lead assay in general purpose. But both methods have some weakness of background correction which brought direct effect on the results of analysis. Recently blood lead assay with polarized Zeeman effect of AAS was introduced and is now preferred in many laboratory than $D_2$ correction method in blood lead analysis. But still AAS with $D_2$ lamp are widely used in the field of occupational health in Korea. This study compared blood lead assay data with $D_2$ correction methods(283.3 and 217.0 nm) and with that of polarized Zeeman effect correction method to evaluate the validity of 02 correction methods. The results obtained were as follows; 1. Taking the value of polarized Zeeman effect method as reference value of 1.00, the mean relative value of $D_2$ correction method with wavelength of 217.0 nm was 0.92 and that with wavelength of 283.3 nm was 0.90 respectively in the analysis of blood lead whose value were below $20.0{\mu}g/dl$(p<0.001). Both mean values were statistically smaller than polarized Zeeman effect correction method. But in the analysis of blood whose value were between 20.0 to $20.0{\mu}g/dl$, the mean relative value of $D_2$ correction method was 0.96 in both wavelength and did not differ from polarized Zeeman effect method(p<0.001). There was no difference of blood lead between $D_2$ correction method and polarized Zeeman effect method in the analysis of blood lead whose value were over $40.0{\mu}g/dl$. 2. The variations of background correction value in polarized Zeeman effect method were not changed by increase of blood lead, but those in $D_2$ correction methods were increased by the increase of blood lead. While then relative standard deviation(RSD) of data measured by Zeeman effect method were decreased by the increase of blood lead, those by $D_2$ methods were nol differed by the increase of blood lead.