• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.173-180
• /
• 2009

In order to develop a novel polymer electrolyte membrane for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), styrene monomer was graft-polymerized into poly(tetrafluoroethylene perfluoropropyl vinyl ether) (PFA) film followed by a sulfonation reaction. The graft polymerization was prepared by the $\Upsilon$-ray radiation-grafting method. Subsequently, sulfonation of the radiation-grafted film was carried out in a chlorosulfonic acid/1,2-dichloroethane (2 v/v%) solution. The chemical, physical, electrochemical and morphological properties of the radiation-grafted membranes (PFA-g-PSSA) were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The water uptake, ionic conductivity, and methanol permeability of the PFA-g-PSSA membrane were also measured. The cell performances of MEA prepared with the PFA-g-PSSA membranes were evaluated and the cell resistances were measured by an impedance analyzer. The MEA using PFA-g-PSSA membranes showed superior performance for DMFCs in comparison with the commercial Nafion 112 membrane.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.206-213
• /
• 2008

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane surfaces were modified using surface modifying macromolecules (SMMs). The Zonyl BA-L as SMM was used and the various PVDF membranes containing 0 to 2 wt% SMM were prepared. The resulting membranes were characterized through SEM, contact angle measurements and pervaporation separation of water-ethanol system. SMM layers were created in the surface regions of PVDF membranes by SEM images and the contact angles were increased more than untreated PVDF membranes. The pervaporation was carried out at 50, 60 and $70^{\circ}C$, and the PVDF membranes containing 1 and 2 wt% SMM were used for 10, 20, 50 wt% water in the binary water/ethanol mixtures and pure water. PVDF/2 wt% Zrlnyl BA-L membrane showed the permeability 5.3 $g/m^2hr$ and separation factor 287 at $50^{\circ}C$ for water : ethanol = 10 : 50 solution.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.87-101
• /
• 1975

Electron microscopic studies on the ultrastructure of the mouse oocyte were made to investigate the inhibition of germinal vesicle breakdown by dibutyryl cAMP. The nuclear membrane of the dibutyryl cAMP-treated oocyte is characterized by a decreased degree of folding, maintains the normal double membrane structure, and shows an increased occurrence of the nuclear pore. It is suggested that these may be related to the suppression of the maturation of oocytes at the germinal vesicle. Mitochondria in the control cell were shown to be spread evenly throughout the cytoplasm and structurally underdeveloped or transitionary having little cristae development. On the contrary, mitochondria in the treated oocyte were found to be localized mainly around the nucleus and to show a greater extent of cristae development. The oocyte treated with dibutyryl cAMP appears to have fewer and structurally simpler lysosomes as compared to the control. The Golgi complex in the control oocyte exhibits the typical granular and lamellar structure, whereas that in the treated cell is poorly developed. Many multivesicular bodies, tonofilaments, and free ribosomes were observed in the control as well as in treated cells. The microvilli become structurally irregular, and a development of the perivitelline space is apparent in the treated oocyte. It is concluded that there is no basic difference in the ultrastructure between the oocytes treated with dibutyryl cAMP for 24 hours in the medium and those collected directly from the follicle. However, the finding that dibutyryl cAMP induces a development of more pores along the nuclear membrane strongly suggests the possibility that this compound inhibits the maturation of oocytes by influencing the permeability of the nuclear membrane.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.24-28
• /
• 2018

The redox flow battery (RFB) is a large-capacity energy storage equipment, and the vanadium redox flow cell is a typical RFB, but VRFB is expensive. Iron-chrome RFBs are economical because they use low-cost active materials, but their low performance is a urgent problem. In this study, the crossover of iron and chromium ion through Nafion membrane and the stability of Nafion membrane in HCl solution were investigated. The permeability of iron and chrome ion through Nafion were $5.5{\times}10^{-5}$ and $6.0{\times}10^{-5}cm^2/min$, respectively, which was 18.9~20.7 times higher than that of vanadium ion ($2.9{\times}10^{-6}cm^2/min$). The crossover of iron and chromium ions were shown to be a cause of performance decrease in Iron-chrome RFB. As the temperature increases, the crossover increases rapidly (activation energy 38.8 kJ/ mol), indicating that operation at low temperature is a methode to reduce the performance loss due to crossover. Nafion membranes were relatively stable in 3 M HCl solution.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.506-510
• /
• 2002

The effect of antioxidant activity of Platycodon grandiflorum (PG) on the liposomal phospholipid membrane was investigated by spectrophotometry. Membrane oxidation causes damage to the membrane fluidity and permeability. It brings further destruction to the sustenance of biological homeostasis. In addition, it is related to several diseases, aging and carcinogenesis. The sample PG was extracted and fractionated to five different types; butanol (PGMB), ethylacetate (PGMEA), ethylether (PGMEE), hexane (PGMH) and methanol (PGMM). The oxidation indices of PGMEA and PGMEE fractions in oxidized dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC) liposomes had stronger antioxidant activities than that of ${\alpha}$-tocopherol and were similar to antioxidant activities compared with butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT), a well-known potent antioxidant, in oxidized DLPC liposomes. The oxidation indices of PGMM extract, PGMB and PGMH fractions exhibited weak antioxidant activity compared with ${\alpha}$-tocopherol in oxidized DLPC liposomes. The oxidation indiex of PGMEE fractions added with vitamin C showed even strong antioxidant activity in the oxidized DLPC liposomes. The oxidation activity of BHT with vitamin C also proved to be stronger than BHT without vitamin C. Therefore vitamin C evidently helps to improve the effect of antioxidant in DLPC liposomes. These results indicate that potentially bioactive substances in PGMEE fraction has a function as potent antioxidant against phospholipid membrane oxidation.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.182-190
• /
• 2003

Carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membranes were prepared by the pyrolysis of polyvinylpyrrolidone containing polyimide precursors. We have prepared the polymer precursors, pyrolyzed polymer and investigated the effect of pyrolyzing polymer on the characteristics of carbon structures and gas separation properties of the CMS membranes. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed the two-step decomposition of polymer precursor. First decomposition of the pyrolyzing polymer began around $400^{\circ}C$ while carbonizing polymer showed the decomposition around $550^{\circ}C$. The gas permeabilities through the CMS membranes were enhanced by the introduction of the pyrolyzing polymer and decreased with increased final pyrolysis temperature. The CMS membrane pyrolyzed at $550^{\circ}C$. derived from precursor containing 5wt% PVP as a pyrolyzing polymer showed gas permeability for $O_2$ of 808 Barrers [$10^{-10}cm^3 (STP)cm/cm^2scmHg]$ and $O_2/N_2$ selectivity of 7.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.57 no.4
• /
• pp.512-518
• /
• 2019

To develop a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with lower Pt loading and higher performance in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), it is an important research issue to understand interfacial structure of Pt/C catalyst and ionomer and design the catalyst layer structure. In this study, we prepared short-side-chain Nafion-based ionomer dispersion using propylene glycol (PG) as a solvent instead of water which is commonly used as a solvent for commercially available ionomers. Cathode catalyst layers with different ionomer content from 20 to 35 wt% were prepared using the ionomer dispersion for the fabrication of four different MEAs, and their fuel cell performance was evaluated. As the ionomer content increased to 35 wt%, the performance of the prepared MEAs increased proportionally, unlike the commercially available water-based ionomer, which exhibited an optimum at about 25 wt%. Small size micelles and slow evaporation of PG in the ionomer dispersion were effective in proton transfer by inducing the formation of a uniformly structured catalyst layer, but the low oxygen permeability problem of the PG-based ionomer film should be resolved to improve the MEA performance.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.59-65
• /
• 2000

Cancer development and the efficiency of chemotherapy relies on the patients calcium-related pathological status such as hyper- or hypocalcemica. In the present study, we investigated the effect of extracellular cations such as calcium and magnesium on the therapeutic efficacy of antitumor drugs. The analytic parameters used were cellular drug uptake/excretion and the chemosensitivity of the human breast cancer cell lines, MCF7 and MCF7/ADR. Both calcium and magnesium ions decreased the membrane permeability of cancer cells, which was determined bycell size analysis. These divalent ions also lowered the drug uptake and the cytoplasmic levels of rhodamine 123 and adriamycin, suggesting that they might interfere with the diffusion of these drugs by modifying the physical properties of the cytoplasmic membrane. The acute cytotoxicity of adriamycin after a short period of incubation correlated with changes in its cytoplasmic level. Our results indicate that these extracellular cations might play an important role in the therapeutic activities of anticancer drugs in cancer patients. These results also provide insight a new aspect of chemotherapy, because they suggest that the therapeutic dose of anti-cancer drugs should be modified in cancer-bearing patients presenting with abnormal blood calcium levels.

• Transactions of the KSME C: Technology and Education
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.249-255
• /
• 2015

Functional nanochannels were fabricated in order to control selective ion transportation with high permeability and low energy consumption. In this research, nanochannel platform fabrication process and surface functionalization process were developed. In addition, selective ion transportation and concentration measurement system was also set-up. By using fabricated multilayer metal membrane with electrical bias, 95% of ion ($Cl^-$) was blocked. This developed process is new-conceptional membrane fabrication technology and is expected to be applied to next-generation water purification/desalination, portable artifical kidney, and artificial sense organ.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.130-138
• /
• 2016

The use of antibiotics in aquaculture raises environmental and food safety concerns because chronic exposure of an aquatic ecosystem to antibiotics can result in the spread of antibiotic resistance, bioaccumulation of antibiotics in the organisms, and transfer of antibiotics to humans. In an attempt to overcome these problems, high-concentration red clay was applied as an alternative antibiotic against the following common fish pathogens: Aeromonas salmonicida, Vibrio alginolyticus, and Streptococcus equinus. The growth of A. salmonicida and V. alginolyticus was retarded by red clay, whereas that of S. equinus was promoted. Phase contrast and scanning electron microscopy analyses confirmed the attachment of red clay on cell surfaces, resulting in rapid gravitational removal and cell surface damage in both A. salmonicida and V. alginolyticus, but not in S. equinus. Different cell wall properties of grampositive species may explain the unharmed cell surface of S. equinus. Significant levels of oxidative stress were generated in only the former two species, whereas significant changes in membrane permeability were found only in S. equinus, probably because of its physiological adaptation. The bacterial communities in water samples from Oncorhynchus mykiss aquacultures supplemented with red clay showed similar structure and diversity as those from oxytetracycline-treated water. Taken together, the antibiotic effects of high concentrations of red clay in aquaculture can be attributed to gravitational removal, cell surface damage, and oxidative stress production, and suggest that red clay may be used as an alternative for antibiotics in aquaculture.