• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.170-176
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• 2007

Iodine-induced stress corrosion cracking (ISCC) properties and the associated ISCC process of Zircaloy-4 and an Nb-containing advanced nuclear fuel cladding were evaluated. An internal pressurization test with a pre-cracked specimen was performed with a stress-relieved (SR) or recrystallized (RX) microstructure at $350^{\circ}C$, in an iodine environment. The results showed that the $K_{ISCC}$ of the SR and RX Zircaloy-4 claddings were 3.3 and 4.8MPa\;m^{0.5}, respectively. And the crack propagation rate of the RX Zircaloy-4 was 10 times lower than that of the SR one. The chemical effect of iodine on the crack propagation rate was very high, which was increased $10^4$ times by iodine addition. Main factor affecting on the micro-crack nucleation was a pitting formation and its agglomeration along the grain boundary. However, this pitting formation on the grain-boundary was suppressed in the case of an Nb addition, which resulted in an increase of the ISCC resistance when compared to Zircaloy-4. Crack initiation and propagation mechanisms of fuel claddings were proposed by a grain boundary pitting model and a pitting assisted slip cleavage model and they showed reasonable results.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.141-150
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• 2012

Stress corrosion cracks in Alloy 600 compact tension specimens tested at $325^{\circ}C$ in a simulated primary water environment of pressurized water reactor were analyzed by analytical transmission electron microscopy and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS). From a fine-probe chemical analysis, oxygen was found on the grain boundary just ahead of the crack tip, and chromium oxides were precipitated on the crack tip and the grain boundary attacked by the oxygen diffusion, leaving a Cr/Fe depletion (or Ni enrichment) zone. The oxide layer inside the crack was revealed to consist of a double (inner and outer) layer. Chromium oxides existed in the inner layer, with NiO and (Ni,Cr) spinels in the outer layer. From the nano-SIMS analysis, oxygen was detected at the locations of intergranular chromium carbides ahead of the crack tip, which means that oxygen diffused into the grain boundary and oxidized the surfaces of the chromium carbides. The intergranular chromium carbide blunted the crack tip, thereby suppressing the crack propagation.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.36 no.12
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• pp.1316-1321
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• 1999

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.962-968
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• 2011

In this study, we investigated the effects of Mn dopant (0.1~3.0 at% $Mn_3O_4$ sintered at 1000$^{\circ}C$ for 1 h in air) on the bulk trap (i.e. defect) and grain boundary properties of ZnO, ZM(0.1~3.0) using admittance spectroscopy (AS), and impedance-modulus spectroscopy (IS & MS). As a result, three kinds of defect were found below the conduction band edge of ZnO as 0.09~0.14 eV (attractive coulombic center), 0.22~25 eV ($Zn^{{\cdot}{\cdot}}_i$), and 0.32~0.33 eV ($V^{\cdot}_o$). The oxygen vacancy increased with Mn doping. In ZM, an electrically single grain boundary as double Schottky barrier was formed with 0.82~1.0 eV of activation energies by IS & MS. We also find out that the barriers of grain boundary of Mn-doped ZnO (${\alpha}$-factor=0.13) were more stabilized and homogenized with temperature compared to pure ZnO.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.431-437
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• 2017

This study investigated the surface pit corrosion of SS420J2 stainless steel accompanied by intergranular crack. To reveal the causes of surface pits and cracks, OM, SEM, and TEM analyses of the microstructures of the utilized SS420J2 were performed, as was simulated heat treatment. The intergranular cracks were found to have been induced by a grain boundary carbide of $(Cr,Fe)_{23}C_6$, which was identified by SEM/EDS and TEM diffraction analyses. The mechanism of grain boundary sensitization occurred at the position of the carbide, followed by its occurrence at the Cr depleted zone. The grain boundary carbide of $(Cr,Fe)_{23}C_6$ type precipitated during air cooling condition after a $1038^{\circ}C$ solid solution treatment. The carbide precipitate formation also accelerated at the band structure formed by cold working. Therefore, using manufacturing processes of cooling and cold working, it is difficult to protect SS420J2 stainless steel against surface pit corrosion. Several counter plans to fight pit corrosion by sensitization were suggested, involving alloying and manufacturing processes.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1911-1918
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• 2001

Recently the non-destructive test technique which uses the grain boundary etching characteristics owing to the variation of material structures has been proposed. However, during in-serviced GEM test there are a lot of variables such as the changes of temperature and concentration of etching solution, the roughness condition of surface polished etc.. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influences of these test variables on GEM test results in order to establish a reliable and sensitive of GEM evaluation technique. The experiments are conducted in various solution temperatures, 10$\^{C}$, 15$\^{C}$, 20$\^{C}$, and 25$\^{C}$ and in 70% and 100% concentrations of that, and in various surface roughnesses polished by #800, #2000, and 0.3㎛ alumina powder. Through the test with variables, it is verified that the decrease of temperature and concentration of etching solution and the coarsened surface roughness by not using polishing cloth and powder induce some badly and/or greatly influences on GEM test results like grain boundary etching width(W$\_$GB) and intersecting point ratio(N$\_$i/N$\_$0/). Therefore, to get reliable and good GEM test results, it must be prepared the surface of specimen polished by polishing cloth and 0.3㎛ alumina powder and the saturated picric acid solution having 25$\^{C}$ and be maintained the constant temperature(25$\^{C}$) during GEM test.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1064-1072
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• 2001

It is very important to evaluate material degradation like temper and carbide embrittlements to secure the reliable and efficient operational conditions and to prevent brittle failure in service. The extent of material deterioration can be accurately evaluated by mechanical test such as impact test or creep test. But it is almost impossible to sample a large specimen from in-service plants. Thus, the material degradation evaluation by a non-destructive method is earnestly required. Recently the non-destructive test technique which uses the grain boundary etching characteristics owing to the variation of material structures has been proposed. However the program for material degradation evaluation using the grain boundary etching method(GEM) in Windows 98 domain doesnt be developed now. The aims of this paper are to develop the program and to complete the new master curve equations for the evaluation of material degradation on in-serviced high temperature components.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.699-705
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• 1995

Effect of the grain boundary phases in Si$_3$N$_4$ ceramics on the fracture tonghness has been investigated. The Si$_3$N$_4$-Y$_2$O$_3$-SiO$_2$, (YS) and Si$_3$N$_4$-Y$_2$O$_3$-Al$_2$O$_3$(YA) systems were Can/HIP treated at 1750$^{\circ}C$ and then heat-treated at 1800∼2000$^{\circ}C$. The fracture toughness of the YA system, the grain boundary phase was only glass phase after heat-treatement, was increased. That of the YS system, however, the grain boundary phase was changed from crystalline and glass to glass phase after the heat -treatement above 1900$^{\circ}C$, was abruptly decreased. The reason of the sudden drop of the fracture toughness of the YS system was believed that the change of the grain boundary phases from crystalline and glass to glass phase effected un the fracture behavior.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.276-280
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• 2019

In this study, we investigated the crystal defects and grain boundary properties in a ZZCCC ($ZnO-Zn_2BiVO_6-Co_3O_4-Cr_2O_3-CaCO_3$) varistor, with the liquid-phase sintering aid $Zn_2BiVO_6$ developed by our laboratory. The ZZCCC varistor sintered at $1,200^{\circ}C$ exhibited excellent nonlinear current-voltage characteristics (${\alpha}=63$), with oxygen vacancy ($V_o^*$ ; 0.35 eV) as a main defect, and an apparent activation energy of 1.1 eV with an electrically single grain boundary. Therefore, among the various additives to improve the electrical properties of ZnO varistors, if $Zn_2BiVO_6$ is used as a liquid phase sintering aid, it will be ideal to use Co for the oxygen vacancy and Ca for the electrically single grain boundary. This will allow the good properties of ZnO varistors to be maintained up to high sintering temperatures.

• Korean Journal of Crystallography
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 1996

The atomic configurations of GaAs ∑19, {331}/{331} [110] and ∑3 {111}/{111} [110] tilt grain boundaries were investigated by HRTEM (High-resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy). The boundary planes lie parallel to the crystallographic planes with high number density of coincident lattice sites for given misorientations, exhibiting particular atomic structural units. Secondary boundary dislocations with a core diameter of about 2nm were observed at boundary steps when a slight deviation from exact ∑-related misorientations occurs in the bicrystal system. The relation between the secondary boundary dislocation and the boundary step was discussed based on a DSC lattice model.