• Composites Research
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.434-439
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• 2021

Graphene and polyaniline with thermoelectric properties are one of the potential substitutes for inorganic materials for flexible thermoelectric applications. In this study, we studied the photo-induced thermoelectric effect of graphene-polyaniline composites. The graphene-polyaniline composites were synthesized by introducing an amine functional group to graphene oxide for covalently connecting graphene and polyaniline, reducing the graphene oxide, and then polymerizing the graphene oxide with aniline. Graphene-polyaniline composites were prepared by changing the aniline contents in order to expect an optimal photothermoelectric effect, and their structural properties were confirmed through FT-IR and Raman analysis. The photocurrent and photovoltage characteristics were analyzed by irradiating light asymmetrically without an external bias and the current and voltage with various aniline contents. While the photocurrent trends to the electrical conductivity of the graphene-polyaniline composites, the photovoltage was related to the temperature change of the graphene-polyaniline composite, which was converted into thermal energy by light.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.341-349
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• 2021

We studies to verify results similar to those of previous experiments, and their potential as a lighting device through optical characteristics experiments and resonance and optical characteristics simulations of array devices. The photonic quantum ring (PQR) device having a mesa diameter of 40 ㎛ and an internal hole diameter of 3 ㎛ was fabricated. Through the near-field observation of the fabricated device, it was found that the PQR device operates even at ㎂, and also that the mesa and hole devices are driven independently of each other. As a result of measuring the wavelength spectrum of the device according to the location, the coupling phenomenon due to mesa and holes was confirmed.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2022

Lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries have attracted considerable attention as a promising candidate for next-generation power sources due to their high theoretical energy density, low cost, and eco-friendliness. However, the poor electrical conductivity of sulfur and its insoluble discharging products (Li₂S₂/Li₂S), large volume changes, severe self-discharge, and dissolution of lithium polysulfide intermediates result in rapid capacity fading, low Coulombic efficiency, and safety risks, hindering Li-S battery commercial development. In this study, a three-dimensionally (3D) connected hierarchical porous carbon framework (HPCF) derived from waste sunflower seed shells was synthesized as a sulfur host for Li-S batteries via a chemical activation method. The natural 3D connected structure of the HPCF, originating from the raw material, can effectively enhance the conductivity and accessibility of the electrolyte, accelerating the Li⁺/electron transfer. Additionally, the generated micropores of the HPCF, originated from the chemical activation process, can prevent polysulfide dissolution due to the limited space, thereby improving the electrochemical performance and cycling stability. The HPCF/S cell shows a superior capacity retention of 540 mA h g^-1 after 70 cycles at 0.1 C, and an excellent cycling stability at 2 C for 700 cycles. This study provides a potential biomass-derived material for low-cost long-life Li-S batteries.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.241-248
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• 2022

Background: The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympic Games (WPG) being one of the most successful Paralympic Games (PG) in modern athletic world history, hosted the largest number of elite athletes representing 49 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs). Objects: The present investigation highlighted the demographic and clinical characteristics of injured athletes and non-athletes and the physiotherapy services provided during the PyeongChang 2018 WPG. Methods: Prospective descriptive epidemiology study, in which the study group comprised of 201 participants (51 athletes and 150 non-athletes) who were admitted to and utilized the polyclinic physiotherapy service of 2018 PyeongChang WPG in Physiotherapy Department of Paralympic Village from March 1, 2018 to March 20, 2018. Results: Qualitative frequency analysis of injury type demonstrated highest number of chronic injuries (51%, n = 100) in athletes and non-athletes. Anatomical injury site analysis revealed that the spine and shoulder areas were affected with equal frequency for athletes (54.9%, n = 14), whereas for non-athletes, the frequencies of spine and shoulder area injuries were 36.7% (n = 55) and 26% (n = 39), respectively. The Pyeongchang WPG showed a high rate of athletes visiting the physiotherapy service during the pre-competition period (33.3%, n = 50), which may have led to smaller incidence rate of traumatic injury. The physiotherapy treatment service analysis demonstrated that manual therapy (35.4%, n = 230) was most commonly utilized, followed by transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation/interference current therapy (TENS/ICT), therapeutic massage and therapeutic exercise. Conclusion: We established the importance of prophylactic and preventive physiotherapy services to reduce the risk of sports injuries during WPG.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.104-111
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• 2023

Rolling stock maintenance, which focuses on preventive maintenance, is typically implemented considering the potential harm that may be inflicted to passengers in the event of failure. The cost of preventive maintenance throughout the life cycle of a rolling stock is 60%-75% of the initial purchase cost. Therefore, ensuring stability and reducing maintenance costs are essential in terms of economy. In particular, private railroad operators must reduce government support budget by effectively utilizing railroad resources and reducing maintenance costs. Accordingly, this study analyzes the reliability characteristics of components using field data. Moreover, it resolves the problem of determining an economical replacement interval considering the timing of scrapping railroad vehicles. The procedure for determining the optimal replacement interval involves five steps. According to the decision model, the optimal replacement interval for the onboard signal device components of the "A" line train is calculated using field data, such as failure data, preventive maintenance cost, and failure maintenance cost. The field data analysis indicates that the mileage meter is 9 years, which is less than the designed durability of 15 years. Furthermore, a life cycle in which the phase signal has few failures is found to be the same as the actual durability of 15 years.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.255-263
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• 2023

Clinical ultrasound (US) is a widely used imaging modality with various clinical applications. However, capturing a large field of view often requires specialized transducers which have limitations for specific clinical scenarios. Panoramic imaging offers an alternative approach by sequentially aligning image sections acquired from freehand sweeps using a standard transducer. To reconstruct a 3D volume from these 2D sections, an external device can be employed to track the transducer's motion accurately. However, the presence of optical or electrical interferences in a clinical setting often leads to incorrect measurements from such sensors. In this paper, we propose a deep learning (DL) framework that enables the prediction of scan trajectories using only US data, eliminating the need for an external tracking device. Our approach incorporates diverse data types, including correlation volume, optical flow, B-mode images, and rawer data (IQ data). We develop a DL network capable of effectively handling these data types and introduce an attention technique to emphasize crucial local areas for precise trajectory prediction. Through extensive experimentation, we demonstrate the superiority of our proposed method over other DL-based approaches in terms of long trajectory prediction performance. Our findings highlight the potential of employing DL techniques for trajectory estimation in clinical ultrasound, offering a promising alternative for panoramic imaging.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 2023

Recently, piezoelectric tactile sensors have garnered considerable attention in the field of texture recognition owing to their high sensitivity and high-frequency detection capability. Despite their remarkable potential, improving their mechanical flexibility to attach to complex surfaces remains challenging. In this study, we present a flexible piezoelectric sensor that can be bent to an extremely small radius of up to 2.5 mm and still maintain good electrical performance. The proposed sensor was fabricated by controlling the thickness that induces internal stress under external deformation. The fabricated piezoelectric sensor exhibited a high sensitivity of 9.3 nA/kPa ranging from 0 to 10 kPa and a wide frequency range of up to 1 kHz. To demonstrate real-time texture recognition by rubbing the surface of an object with our sensor, nine sets of fabric plates were prepared to reflect their material properties and surface roughness. To extract features of the objects from the detected sensing data, we converted the analog dataset to short-term Fourier transform images. Subsequently, texture recognition was performed using a convolutional neural network with a classification accuracy of 97%.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.131-139
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• 2023

Ascorbic acid plays a crucial role in the regulation of neurotransmitters and enzymes in the central nervous system. Maintaining an optimal level of ascorbic acid, which is between 0.6-2 mg/dL, is vital for preventing oxidative stress and associated health conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, and liver disease. Therefore, the detection of ascorbic acid is of the utmost importance. Electrochemical sensing has gained significant attention among the various detection methods, owing to its simplicity, speed, affordability, high selectivity, and real-time analysis capabilities. However, conventional electrodes have poor signal response, which has led to the development of modified electrodes with better signal response and selectivity. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and their composites have emerged as promising materials for the electrochemical detection of ascorbic acid. CNTs possess unique mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties that depend on their structure, and their large surface area and excellent electron transport properties make them ideal candidates for electrochemical sensing. Recently, various CNT composites with different materials and nanoparticles have been studied to enhance the electrochemical detection of ascorbic acid. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the significance of CNTs and their composites for improving the sensitivity and selectivity of ascorbic acid detection. Specifically, it focuses on the use of CNTs and their composites in electrochemical sensing to revolutionize the detection of ascorbic acid and contribute to the prevention of oxidative stress-related health conditions. The potential benefits of this technology make it a promising area for future research and development.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.109-115
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• 2023

In this paper, we demonstrated the orientation characteristics of liquid crystals using UV-treated FSAM as alignment layer. Moreover we confirmed the FSAM properties before and after UV treatment on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates using physicochemical analysis. The hydrophobic property of the FSAM surface is change to hydrophilic through UV treatment. After UV treatment the LC molecules also were uniformly and horizontally aligned on the FSAM surfaces and the pretilt angle was obviously changed 90° degrees to 0° degrees. EO characteristic of TN cell which was fabricated with UV-treated FSAM was faster response time compare to conventional PI layer. The FSAM before and after UV treatment has a superior application potential as the LC alignment layer for LCD, potentially replacing the conventional polyimide layer.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.415-421
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• 2023

In this study, the piezoresistive properties of cementitious composites enhanced with carbon nanotubes for improved electrical conductivity were analyzed using a deep learning-based transformer algorithm. Experimental execution was performed in parallel for acquisition of training data. Previous studies on mixture design, specimen fabrication, chemical composition analysis, and piezoresistive performance testing are also reviewed in this paper. Notably, specimens in which fly ash substituted 50% of the binder material were fabricated and evaluated in this study, in addition to carbon nanotube-infused specimens, thereby exploring the potential enhancement of piezoresistive characteristics in conductive cementitious materials. The experimental results showed more stable piezoresistive responses in specimens with fly-ash substituted binder. The transformer model was trained using 80% of the gathered data, with the remaining 20% employed for validation. The analytical outcomes were generally consistent with empirical measurements, yielding an average absolute error and root mean square error between 0.069 to 0.074 and 0.124 to 0.132, respectively.