• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.386-392
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• 2023

In this work, we describe the reduction kinetics of gold nanoparticles synthesized by plasma discharge in aqueous solutions with varied voltages and precursor (HAuCl₄) concentrations. The reduction rate of [AuCl₄]^- was determined by introducing NaBr to the gold colloidal solution synthesized by plasma discharge, serving as a catalyst in the reduction process. We observed that [AuCl₄]^- was completely reduced when its characteristic absorption peak at 380 nm disappeared, indicating the absence of [AuCl₄]^- for ligand exchange with NaBr. The reduction rate notably increased with the rise in discharge voltage, attributable to the intensified plasma generated by ionization and excitation, which in turn accelerated the reduction kinetics. Regarding precursor concentration, a lower concentration was found to retard the reduction reaction, significantly influencing the reduction kinetics due to the presence of active H⁺ and H radicals. Therefore, the production of strong plasma with high plasma density was observed to enhance the reduction kinetics, as evidenced by optical emission spectroscopy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2011.08a
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• pp.148-148
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• 2011

Recently, there have been many research activities to develop the large-area plasma source, which is able to generate the high-density plasma with relatively good uniformity, for the plasma processing in the thin-film solar cell and display panel industries. The large-area CCP sources have been applied to the PECVD process as well as the etching. Especially, the PECVD processes for the depositions of various films such as a-Si:H, ${\mu}c$-Si:H, Si3N4, and SiO2 take a significant portion of processes. In order to achieve higher deposition rate (DR), good uniformity in large-area reactor, and good film quality (low defect density, high film strength, etc.), the application of VHF (>40 MHz) CCP is indispensible. However, the electromagnetic wave effect in the VHF CCP becomes an issue to resolve for the achievement of good uniformity of plasma and film. Here, we propose a new electrode as part of a method to resolve the standing wave effect in the large-area VHF CCP. The electrode is split up a series of strip-type electrodes and the strip-type electrodes and the ground ones are arranged by turns. The standing wave effect in the longitudinal direction of the strip-type electrode is reduced by using the multi-feeding method of VHF power and the uniformity in the transverse direction of the electrodes is achieved by controlling the gas flow and the gap length between the powered electrodes and the substrate. Also, we provide the process results for the growths of the a-Si:H and the ${\mu}c$-Si:H films. The high DR (2.4 nm/s for a-Si:H film and 1.5 nm/s for the ${\mu}c$-Si:H film), the controllable crystallinity (~70%) for the ${\mu}c$-Si:H film, and the relatively good uniformity (1% for a-Si:H film and 7% for the ${\mu}c$-Si:H film) can be obtained at the high frequency of 40 MHz in the large-area discharge (280 mm${\times}$540 mm). Finally, we will discuss the issues in expanding the multi-electrode to the 8G class large-area plasma processing (2.2 m${\times}$2.4 m) and in improving the process efficiency.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.66.1-66.1
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• 2010

Microcrystalline silicon at low temperatures has been developed using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). It has been found that energetically positive ion and atomic hydrogen collision on to growing surface have important effects on increasing growth rate, and atomic hydrogen density is necessary for the increasing growth rate correspondingly, while keeping ion bombardment is less level. Since the plasma potential is determined by working pressure, the ion energy can be reduced by increasing the deposition pressure of 700-1200 Pa. Also, correlation of the growth rate and crystallinity with deposition parameters such as working pressure, hydrogen flow rate and input power were investigated. Consequently an efficiency of 7.9% was obtained at a high growth rate of 0.92 nm/s at a high RF power 300W using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method (27.12MHz).

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.942-948
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• 2007

Popular techniques for producing hydrogen by converting methane include steam reforming and catalyst reforming. However, these are high temperature and high pressure processes limited by equipment, cost and difficulty of operation. Low temperature plasma is projected to be a technique that can be used to produce high concentration hydrogen from methane. It is suitable for miniaturization and fur application in other technologies. In this research, the effect of changing each of the following variables was studied using an AC GlidArc system that was conceived by the research team: the gas components ratio, the gas flow rate, the catalyst reactor temperature and voltage. Results were obtained for methane and hydrogen yields and intermediate products. The system used in this research consisted of 3 electrodes and an AC power source. In this study, air was added fur the partial oxidation reaction of methane. The result showed that as the gas flow rate, the catalyst reactor temperature and the electric power increased, the methane conversion rate and the hydrogen concentration also increased. With $O_2/C$ ratio of 0.45, input flow rate of 4.9 l/min and power supply of 1 kW as the reference condition, the methane conversion rate, the high hydrogen selectivity and the reformer energy density were 69.2%, 32.6% and 35.2% respectively.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.132-139
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• 2007

Popular techniques for producing synthesis gas by converting methane include steam reforming and catalyst reforming. However, these are high temperature and high pressure processes limited by equipment, cost and difficulty of operation. Low temperature plasma is projected to be a technique that can be used to produce high concentration hydrogen from methane. It is suitable for miniaturization and for application in other technologies. In this research, the effect of changing each of the following variables was studied using an AC Glidarc system that was conceived by the research team: the gas components ratio, the gas flow rate, the catalyst reactor temperature and voltage. Glidarc plasma reformer was consisted of 3 electrodes and an AC power source. And air was added for the partial oxidation reaction of methane. The result showed that as the gas flow rate, the catalyst reactor temperature and the electric power increased, the methane conversion rate and the hydrogen concentration also increased. With $O_2/C$ ratio of 0.45, input flow rate of 4.9 l/min and power supply of 1 kW as the reference condition, the methane conversion rate, the high hydrogen selectivity and the reformer energy density were 69.2%, 36.2% and 35.2% respectively.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.977-981
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• 1998

Controlling the wafer temperatures from 200 to$500^{\circ}C$, low resistive tungsten thin films used for VLSI metallization are deposited by PECVD method. Resistivities of plasma deposited tungsten thin films are very sensitive to the $H_2/WF_6 $ partial pressure ratios. Residual stress behaviors of the films as a function of plasma power density were also studied. At the power density under the $0.7W/\textrm{cm}^2$, residual stress of W film is about $2.4\times10^9dyne/\textrm{cm}^2$. When the power density is. however, increased from 1.8 to $2.7W/\textrm{cm}^2$, residual stress is suddenly increased from $8.1\times10^9$ to $1.24\times10^{10}dyne/\textrm{cm}^2$ ue to the ion or radical bombardment at high power density.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.194-209
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• 2024

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: High levels of plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol are an important determinant of atherosclerotic lesion formation. The disruption of cholesterol efflux or reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) in peripheral tissues and macrophages may promote atherogenesis. The aim of the current study was to examine whether bioactive ellagic acid, a functional food component, improved RCT functionality and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) function in diet-induced atherogenesis of apolipoproteins E (apoE) knockout (KO) mice. MATERIALS/METHODS: Wild type mice and apoE KO mice were fed a high-cholesterol Paigen diet for 10 weeks to induce hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis, and concomitantly received 10 mg/kg ellagic acid via gavage. RESULTS: Supplying ellagic acid enhanced induction of apoE and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter G1 in oxidized LDL-exposed macrophages, facilitating cholesterol efflux associated with RCT. Oral administration of ellagic acid to apoE KO mice fed on Paigen diet improved hypercholesterolemia with reduced atherogenic index. This compound enhanced the expression of ABC transporters in peritoneal macrophages isolated from apoE KO mice fed on Paigen diet, indicating increased cholesterol efflux. Plasma levels of cholesterol ester transport protein and phospholipid transport protein involved in RCT were elevated in mice lack of apoE gene, which was substantially reduced by supplementing ellagic acid to Paigen diet-fed mice. In addition, ellagic acid attenuated hepatic lipid accumulation in apoE KO mice, evidenced by staining of hematoxylin and eosin and oil red O. Furthermore, the supplementation of 10 mg/kg ellagic acid favorably influenced the transcriptional levels of hepatic LDL receptor and scavenger receptor-B1 in Paigen diet-fed apoE KO mice. CONCLUSION: Ellagic acid may be an athero-protective dietary compound encumbering diet-induced atherogenesis though improving the RCT functionality.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.354-358
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• 1997

Crystal properties of wurtzite GaN films grown on $Al_2O_3$(0001) substrates under various nitrogen pressure and plasma power by electron cyclotron resonance molecular beam epitaxy were investigated by full width at half maximum of X-ray diffraction peak and scanning electron microscope. It was found that the nitrogen pressure has a large effect on the FWHM value of XRD, and the GaN film grown under the optimum nitrogen pressure contains high density of dislocations. These results suggest that the crystal quality is sensitive to the plasma source conditions and that the relaxation of stress depends of V/III ratio. However, substrate-surface nitridation has little effect on the relaxation of misfit stress.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.70-78
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• 2005

Mechanical alloying using high-energy ball mill and subsequent spark plasma sintering (SPS) process was applied to understand mechanical alloying processing of Al-Fe alloy system. The thermal stability of mechanically alloyed Al-Fe alloy was intended to be enhanced by SPS process. Various analytical techniques including particle size analysis, density measurement, micro-Vickers hardness test, SEM, TEM, and X-ray diffractometry were adopted to find optimum processing conditions for mechanical alloying and subsequent SPS and to estimate thermal stability of the prepared alloy. It was found from the treatment of mechanically alloyed Al-8wt.%Fe powder mixture that needle-shaped $Al_3Fe$ precipitates was formed in the Al-Fe matrix, and the alloy compact showed enhanced densification and reached its full density with little loss of its fine microstructure. After heat treatment at $500^{\circC}$, it was also shown that the thermal stability of Al-8wt.%Fe alloy fabricated in the present study was enhanced, which was due to its fine microstructure developed by fast densification of SPS.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.235-241
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• 2010

Mo nanopowder was synthesized by ball-milling and subsequent hydrogen-reduction of $MoO_3$ powder. To fabricate ultra fine grained molybdenum, two-step sintering and spark plasma sintering process were employed. The grain size of specimen by two-step sintering and spark plasma sintering was around $0.6\;{\mu}m$ and $0.4\;{\mu}m$, respectively. Mechanical properties of ultra fine grained Mo with relative density of above 90% were significantly improved at room and high temperatures comparing to commercial bulk Mo of 99% relative density. This result was mainly explained by the grain size refinement due to diffusion-controlled sintering.