• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2021

Through a simple filtration process, followed by carbonization within a reductive environment, coffee waste grounds can be transformed into a non-porous hard carbon for use in multiple contexts. This resulting coffee-waste carbon has been evaluated as an eco-friendly and cost-effective replacement for conventional graphite. When compared with different types of carbon, our study found that the coffee-waste carbon fell into the category of hard carbon, as verified from the galvanostatic charge/discharge profiles. The coffee-waste carbon showed a superior rate capability when compared to that of graphite, while compromising smaller capacity at low C rates. During electrochemical reactions, it was also found that the coffee-waste carbon is well exposed to electrolytes, and its disordered characteristic is advantageous for ionic transport which leads to the low tortuosity of Li ions. Finally, the high irreversible capacity (low initial Coulombic efficiency) of the coffee-waste carbon, which if also often observed in amorphous carbon, can be adequately resolved through a solution-based prelithiation process, thereby proving that the coffee-waste carbon material is quite suitable for commercial use as an anode material for quickly-chargeable electrodes.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.250-257
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• 2022

Transition metal sulfide materials have emerged as a new anode material for Li secondary batteries owing to their high capacity and rate capability facilitated by fast Li-ion transport through the layered structure. Among these materials, niobium disulfide (NbS₂) has attracted much attention with its high electrical conductivity and high theoretical capacity (683 mAh g^-1). In this study, we propose a facile synthesis of Fe_xNbS₂/C composite via simple ball milling and heat treatment. The starting materials of FeS and Nb were reacted in the first milling step and transformed into an Fe-Nb-S composite. In the second milling step, activated carbon was incorporated and the sulfide was crystallized into Fe_xNbS₂ by heat treatment. The prepared materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, electron spectroscopies, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrochemical test results reveal that the synthesized Fe_xNbS₂/C composite electrode demonstrates a high reversible capacity of more than 600 mAh g^-1, stable cycling stability, and excellent rate performance for Li-ion battery anodes.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.320-325
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• 2023

In Li-ion batteries, a thick electrode is advantageous for lowering the inactive current collector portion and obtaining a high energy density. One of the critical failure mechanisms of thick electrodes is inhomogeneous lithiation and delithiation owing to the axial location of the electrode. In this study, it was confirmed that the top layer of the composite electrode contributes more to the charging step owing to the high ionic transport from the electrolyte. A high-loading multilayered electrode containing LiFePO₄ (LFP) and LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ (NCM811) was developed to overcome the inhomogeneous electrochemical reactions in the electrode. The electrode laminated with LFP on the top and NCM811 on the bottom showed superior cyclability compared to the electrode having the reverse stacking order or thoroughly mixed. This improvement is attributed to the structural and interfacial stability of LFP on top of the thick electrode in an electrochemically harsh environment.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.233-239
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• 2023

The transport properties of membranes used in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) are fundamental in battery performance. High proton conductivity and low vanadium ion permeability must be achieved to achieve high battery performance. However, there is a trade-off relationship between proton conductivity and vanadium ion permeability. So, solving this trade-off relationship is crucial in VRFB development. Also, maintaining high coulombic efficiency, voltage efficiency, and energy efficiency is essential for high-performing VRFB. Recently, various attempts have been made, primarily on composite membranes and SPEEK membranes, to overcome the existing limit of Nafion membranes. VRFB is an essential class of rechargeable battery in composite membranes reviewed here.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.187-195
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• 2015

The active transport characteristics of anions of cell membrane model which irradiated by $^{60}Co\;{\gamma}-ray$ was investigated. The cell membrane model used in this experiment was a sulfonated copolymerized membrane of poly(1-methyl-4-vinylpyridiniumiodide-co-divinylbenzene : MeVP-DVBI). First, the initial flux of $OH^-$ and $Cl^-$, $Na^+$ of membrane which was not irradiated was decreased with increase of thickness of membrane $80-200{\mu}m$, increased with increase of NaOH concentration 0-0.5mol/L and MeVP-DVBI concentration 20-80% was increased with initial flux of $OH^-$ and $Cl^-$, decreased with initial flux of $Na^+$. Second, the initial flux of membrane which was irradiated was less than that. And the driving force of pH of irradiated membrane was significantly increased more than membrane which was not irradiated. The initial flux of the $OH^-$ ion was decreased with increase of $H^+$ ion concentration. As selective transport of $OH^-$ and $Cl^-$ of cell membrane model were abnormal, cell damages were appeared at cell.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.157-165
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• 2017

The active transport characteristics of $K^+$ and $Na^+$ pumping system of cell membrane model which irradiated by high energy x-ray(linac 6MeV) was investigated. The cell membrane model used in this experiment was a $Na^+$ type sulfonated copolymerized membrane of styrene and divinylbenezene. The initial flux of the ion was increased with increase of both $H^+$ ion concentration. In this experiment range(pH 1.5-5, temperature $36.5^{\circ}C$), the initial flux of $K^+$ which was not irradiated by radiation was found to be from $2.09{\times}10^{-4}$ to $1.32{\times}10^{-3}mole/cm^2{\cdot}h$ and that of $Na^+$ from $7.09{\times}10^{-4}$ to $1.09{\times}10^{-3}mole/cm^2{\cdot}h$. the initial flux of $K^+$ which was irradiated by radiation was found to be from $21.0{\times}10^{-4}$ to $16.7{\times}10^{-3}mole/cm^2{\cdot}h$ and that of $Na^+$ from $62.0{\times}10^{-4}$ to $20.6{\times}10^{-3}mole/cm^2{\cdot}h$. The ratio $K^+$/$Na^+$ of membrane was about 1.10. And the driving force of pH of irradiated membrane was significantly increased about 9-20 times than membrane which was not irradiated. As active transport of $K^+$ and $Na^+$ of cell membrane model were abnormal, cell damages were appeared at cell.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.103-110
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• 2011

The effect on active transport of $K^+$ and $Na^+$ of cell membrane model which irradiated by radiation was investigated. The cell membrane model used in this experiment was a $Na^+$ type sulfonated copolymerized membrane of styrene and divinylbenezene. The initial flux of the ion was increased with increase of both $H^+$ ion concentration. In this experiment range(pH $0.5^{-3}$), the initial flux of $K^+$ which was not irradiated by radiation was found to be from $7.9{\times}10^{-4}$ to $7.49{\times}10^{-3}mole/cm^2{\cdot}h$ and that of Na+ from $10.6{\times}10^{-4}$ to $7.68{\times}10^{-3}mole/cm^2{\cdot}h$. The initial flux of $K^+$ which was irradiated by radiation was found to be from $35.0{\times}10^{-4}$ to $42.4{\times}10^{-3}mole/cm^2{\cdot}h$ and that of $Na^+$ from $52.0{\times}10^{-4}$ to $43.3{\times}10^{-3}mole/cm^2{\cdot}h$. The membrane was selective for $K^+$ and the ratio $K^+/Na^+$ was about 1.10. And the driving force of pH of irradiated membrane was significantly increased about 4-5 times than membrane which was not irradiated. As active transport of $K^+$ and $Na^+$ of cell membrane model were abnormal, cell damages were appeared at cell.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.88-95
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• 2020

Using a random arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction, messenger RNA expression levels were assessed after exposure to 10% (v/v) toluene for 8 hr in solvent-tolerant Pseudomonas sp. BCNU 106. Among the 100 up-expressed products, 50 complementary DNA fragments were confirmed to express repeatedly; these were cloned and then sequenced. Blast analysis revealed that toluene stimulated an adaptive increase in the gene expression level in association with transcriptions such as LysR family of transcriptional regulators and RNA polymerase factor sigma-32. The expression of catalase and Mn2+/Fe2+ transporter genes functionally associated with inorganic ion transport and metabolism increased, and the increased expression of type IV pilus assembly PilZ and multi-sensor signal transduction histidine kinase genes, functionally categorized into signal transduction and mechanisms, was also demonstrated under toluene stress. The gene expression level of beta-hexosaminidase in association with carbohydrate transport and metabolism increased, and those of DNA polymerase III subunit epsilon, DNA-3-methyladenine glycosylase II, DEAD/DEAH box helicase domain-containing protein, and ABC transporter also increased after exposure to toluene in DNA replication, recombination, and repair, and even in defense mechanism. In particular, the RNAs corresponding to the ABC transporter, Mn2+/Fe2+ transporter, and the β-hexosaminidase gene were confirmed to be markedly induced in the presence of 10% toluene. Thus, defense mechanism, cellular ion homeostasis, and biofilm formation were shown as essential for toluene tolerance in Pseudomonas sp. BCNU 106.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1-7
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• 2018

Tin dioxide, $SnO_2$, is applied as an anode material in Li-ion batteries and a gas sensing materials, which shows changes in resistance in the presence of gas molecules, such as $H_2$, NO, $NO_2$ etc. Considerable research has been done on the synthesis of $SnO_2$ nanostructures. Nanomaterials exhibit a high surface to volume ratio, which means it has an advantage in sensing gas molecules and improving the specific capacity of Li-ion batteries. In this study, $SnO_2$ nanostructures were grown on a Si substrate using a thermal CVD process with the vapor transport method. The carrier gas was mixed with high purity Ar gas and oxygen gas. The crystalline phase of the as-grown tin oxide nanostructures was affected by the oxygen gas flow rate. The crystallographic property of the as-grown tin oxide nanostructures were investigated by Raman spectroscopy and XRD. The morphology of the as-grown tin oxide nanostructures was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. As a result, the $SnO_2$ nanostructures were grown directly on Si wafers with moderate thickness and a nanodot surface morphology for a carrier gas mixture ratio of Ar gas 1000 SCCM : $O_2$ gas 10 SCCM.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.608-616
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• 2015

The migration of silver (Ag) in silicon carbide (SiC) and $^{110m}Ag$ through SiC of irradiated tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel has been studied for the past three to four decades. However, there is no satisfactory explanation for the transport mechanism of Ag in SiC. In this work, the diffusion coefficients of Ag measured and/or estimated in previous studies were reviewed, and then pre-exponential factors and activation energies from the previous experiments were evaluated using Arrhenius equation. The activation energy is $247.4kJ{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ from Ag paste experiments between two SiC layers produced using fluidized-bed chemical vapor deposition (FBCVD), $125.3kJ{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ from integral release experiments (annealing of irradiated TRISO fuel), $121.8kJ{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ from fractional Ag release during irradiation of TRISO fuel in high flux reactor (HFR), and $274.8kJ{\cdot}mol^{-1}$ from Ag ion implantation experiments, respectively. The activation energy from ion implantation experiments is greater than that from Ag paste, fractional release and integral release, and the activation energy from Ag paste experiments is approximately two times greater than that from integral release experiments and fractional Ag release during the irradiation of TRISO fuel in HFR. The pre-exponential factors are also very different depending on the experimental methods and estimation. From a comparison of the pre-exponential factors and activation energies, it can be analogized that the diffusion mechanism of Ag using ion implantation experiment is different from other experiments, such as a Ag paste experiment, integral release experiments, and heating experiments after irradiating TRISO fuel in HFR. However, the results of this work do not support the long held assumption that Ag release from FBCVD-SiC, used for the coating layer in TRISO fuel, is dominated by grain boundary diffusion. In order to understand in detail the transport mechanism of Ag through the coating layer, FBCVD-SiC in TRISO fuel, a microstructural change caused by neutron irradiation during operation has to be fully considered.