• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.625-632
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• 2004

Perfluorocompounds ($PFC_s$), such as tetrafluoromethane ($CF_4$) and hexafluoroethane ($C_2F_6$), have been widely used as plasma etching and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) gases for semiconductor manufacturing processes. Since these $PFC_s$ are known to cause a greenhouse effect intensively, there has been a growing interest in reducing $PFC_s$ emissions. Among various $CF_4$ decomposing techniques, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is considered as one of a promising candidate because it has been successfully used for generating ozone ($O_3$) and decomposing nitrogen oxide (NO). Firstly, optimal concentration of oxygen for $CF_4$ decomposition was found to figure out how many primary and secondary reactions are associated with DBD process. Secondary, to find effective discharge method for $CF_4$ decomposition, a streamer and a glow mode in DBD are experimentally compared, which includes (i) coaxialcylinder DBD, (ii) DBD reactor packed with glass beads. and (iii) a glow mode operation with a helium gas. The test results showed that optimal concentration of oxygen was ranged 500 ppm~1% for treating 500 ppm of $CF_4$ and helium glow discharge was the most efficient one to decompose $CF_4$.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.18-21
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• 2013

In this study, surface modification of wood powder by atmospheric pressure plasma treatment was investigated. The composites were manufactured using wood powder and polypropylene(wood powder : PP = 55 wt% : 45 wt%). Atmospheric pressure plasma was treated as condition of 3KV, $17{\pm}1$KHz, 2 g/min. Helium was used as carrier gas and monomer such as hexamethyl-disiloxane(HMDSO) was used to modify surface property by plasma polymerization. The tensile strength of untreated waste wood powder(W3) and homogeneous wood powder(H3) were about 18.5 MPa, 21.5 MPa while the tensile strength of plasma treated waste wood powder(PW3) and homogeneous wood powder(PH3) were about 21.2 MPa, 23.4 MPa, respectively. And tensile strength of W3 and H3 were improved by 14.6% and 8.8%, respectively. From the results for mechanical property, morphological analysis, we obtained improved interfacial bonding of polypropylene and wood powder modified by plasma treatment.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.163-165
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• 2000

We investigated visible light radiated from Plasma Focus device by time-integrated analyzed method. Plasma focus is a device that translated from electric energy into visible light by electric discharge. Spectral analysis is using Monochromator(focal length = 0.5 m). Time-integrated spectrum is analyzed with densitometer the film which developed a constant range of wavelength. The condition of visible emission was that the discharging voltage was 13 kV and the working gas were Argon and Helium.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2002

In laser materials processing, localized heating, melting and evaporation caused by focused laser radiation forms a vapor on the material surface. The plume is generally an unstable entity, fluctuating according to its own dynamics. The beam is refracted and absorbed as it traverses the plume, thus modifying its power density on the surface of the condensed phases. This modifies material evaporation and optical properties of the plume. A laser-produced plasma plume simulation is completed using axisymmetric, high-temperature gas dynamic model including the laser radiation power absorption, refraction, and reflection. The physical properties and velocity profiles are verified using the published experimental and numerical results. The simulation results provide the effect of plasma plume fluctuations on the laser power density and quantitative beam radius changes on the material surface. It is proved that beam absorption, reflection and defocusing effects through the plume are essential to obtain appropriate mathematical simulation results. It is also found that absorption of the beam in the plume has much less direct effect on the beam power density at the material surface than defocusing does and helium gas is more efficient in reducing the beam refraction and absorption effect compared to argon gas for common laser materials processing.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.363-366
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• 2011

Mixing and combustion experiments with a vent slot mixer were performed in Mach 2 supersonic wind tunnel. Helium and hydrogen gases each were used for the mixing and the combustion experiment with a plasma jet (PJ) torch. The vent slot mixer holds plenty of fuel in the downstream mixing region, even though the fuel is transversely injected. In case of the combustion, the injected fuel is ignited by the PJ torch, and then unburned mixture is burned by shock-induced combustion downstream. Thermal choking in the combustor leads to shock trains in the isolator, causing the unstable combustion.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.02a
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• pp.20-20
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• 2011

It has been known that, under certain conditions, application of low-temperature atmospheric-pressure plasmas can enhance proliferation of cells. In this study, conditions for optimal cell proliferation were examined for various cells relevant for orthopaedic applications. Plasmas used in our experiments were generated by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) with a helium flow (of approximately 3 litter/min) into ambient air at atmospheric pressure by a 10 kV~20 kHz power supply. Such plasmas were directly applied to a medium, in which cells of interest were cultured. The cells examined in this study were human synoviocytes, rat mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow or adipose tissue, a mouse osteoblastic cell line (MC3T3-E1), a mouse embryonic mesenchymal cell line (C3H-10T1/2), human osteosarcoma cells (HOS), a mouse myoblast cell line (C2C12), and rat Schwann cells. Since cell proliferation can be enhanced even if the cells are not directly exposed to plasmas but cultured in a medium that is pre-treated by plasma application, it is surmised that long-life free radicals generated in the medium by plasma application stimulate cell proliferation if their densities are appropriate. The level of free radical generation in the medium was examined by dROMs tests and correlation between cell proliferation and oxidative stress was observed. Other applications of plasma medicine in orthopaedics, such as plasma modification of artificial bones and wound healing effects by direct plasma application for mouse models, will be also discussed. The work has been done in collaboration with Prof. H. Yoshikawa and his group members at the School of Medicine, Osaka University.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.197-204
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• 1992

A gas chromatographic method using nitrogen phosphorous selective detection was developed for simultaneous determination of haloperidol and its metabolite, reduced haloperidol, in human plasma. Combelen was used as internal standard, The method involved extraction and trimethylsilylation followed by the injection of $2-4\;{\mu}l$ of benzene layer, which was used to dissolve the trimethylsilylated derivatives of haloperidol and reduced haloperidol, onto SE-54 column [5% phenyl methyl silica fused capillary column, $16m{\times}0.22\;mm$ $(I.D.){\times}0.33\;{\mu}m$ (coated thickness)]. The temperature of column oven was programmed from $200^{\circ}C\;to\;300^{\circ}C$ at the increase rate of $10^{\circ}C/min and also the temperatures of injector and detector were set at $300^{\circ}C$. Helium was used as carrier gas and its flow rate was maintained at 30 ml/min. The detection was conducted with nitrogen phosphorous selective detector. The retention times for combelen, reduced haloperidol and haloperidol were found to be 9.14, 9.75 and 9.99 min, respectively. The detection limits for haloperidol and reduced haloperidol in human plasma were both 0.2 ng/ml. The coefficients of variation of the intra-assay were generally low (below 9.8%). The mean absolute recoveries of added haloperidol and reduced haloperidol from plasma were 72% and 84%, respectively. No interferences from endogenous substances were found.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.2589-2594
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• 2009

Aging phenomena of plasma polymer films were studied by using the surface analysis techniques of contact angle measurement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOFSIMS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The polymer films were grown on an aluminum substrate by using a plasma polymerization method from a gas mixture of acetylene and helium, and the films were subsequently modified to have a hydrophilic surface by oxygen plasma treatment. Aging of the polymer films was examined by exposing the samples to water and air environments. The aging process increased the hydrophobicity of the surface, as revealed by an increase in the advancing contact angle of water. XPS analysis showed that the population of oxygen-containing polar groups increased due to the uptake of oxygen during the aging, whereas TOF-SIMS analysis revealed a decrease in the polar group population in the uppermost surface layer. The results suggest that the change in surface property from hydrophilic to hydrophobic nature results from the restructuring of polymer chains near the surface, rather than compositional change of the surface. Oxidative degradation may enhance the mobility and the restructuring process of polymer chains.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.44-45
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• 2010

We are currently conducting studies on culturing and biocompatibility assessment of various cells such as neural stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells(IPS cells) on carbon nanotube (CNT), on nerve regeneration electrodes, and on silicon wafers with a focus on developing nerve integrated CNT based bio devices for interfacing with living organisms, in order to develop brain-machine interfaces (BMI). In addition, we are carried out the chemical modification of carbon nanotube (mainly SWCNTs)-based bio-nanosensors by the plasma ion irradiation (plasma activation) method, and provide a characteristic evaluation of a bio-nanosensor using bovine serum albumin (BSA)/anti-BSA binding and oligonucleotide hybridization. On the other hand, the researches in the case of "novel plasma" have been widely conducted in the fields of chemistry, solid physics, and nanomaterial science. From the above-mentioned background, we are conducting basic experiments on direct irradiation of body tissues and cells using a micro-spot atmospheric pressure plasma source. The device is a coaxial structure having a tungsten wire installed inside a glass capillary, and a grounded ring electrode wrapped on the outside. The conditions of plasma generation are as follows: applied voltage: 5-9 kV, frequency: 1-3 kHz, helium (He) gas flow: 1-1.5 L/min, and plasma irradiation time: 1-300 sec. The experiment was conducted by preparing a culture medium containing mouse fibroblasts (NIH3T3) on a culture dish. A culture dish irradiated with plasma was introduced into a $CO_2$-incubator. The small animals used in the experiment involving plasma irradiation into living tissue were rat, rabbit, and pick and are deeply anesthetized with the gas anesthesia. According to the dependency of cell numbers against the plasma irradiation time, when only He gas was flowed, the growth of cells was inhibited as the floatation of cells caused by gas agitation inside the culture was promoted. On the other hand, there was no floatation of cells and healthy growth was observed when plasma was irradiated. Furthermore, in an experiment testing the effects of plasma irradiation on rats that were artificially given burn wounds, no evidence of electric shock injuries was found in the irradiated areas. In fact, the observed evidence of healing and improvements of the burn wounds suggested the presence of healing effects due to the growth factors in the tissues. Therefore, it appears that the interaction due to ion/radicalcollisions causes a substantial effect on the proliferation of growth factors such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), nerve growth factor (NGF), and transforming growth factor (TGF) that are present in the cells.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.15 no.1 s.45
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• pp.52-59
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• 2006

This paper examined the conversion of methane to hydrogen and other higher hydrocarbons using dielectric barrier discharge with AC pulse power. Two metal electrodes of a coaxial-type plasma reactor were separated by gas gap and an alumina tube. The inner electrode was located inside the alumina tube. The alumina tube was located inside the stainless steel tube, which was used as the outer electrode. Effect of feed gas composition (methane, oxygen, argon, water and helium), flow rate, applied frequency, input volt-age on methane conversion and product distribution were studied. The major products of plasma chemical reactions were ethylene, ethane, propane, buthane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The increment of applied voltage and the usage of inert gas as the background (helium and argon) enhanced the selectivity of hydrocarbons and methane conversion. The addition of water in the feed stream enhanced the conversion of methane and yield of hydrogen. Higher voltage leads to higher yield of $C_2H_6,\;C_3H_8,\;C_4H_{10}$ and yield or $C_2H_2\;and\;C_2H_4$ appeared highly in lower voltage.