• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.672-678
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• 2017

In the production of zirconium cladding tube, a pickling acid solution is used to remove surface contaminants, which generates tons of pickling acid waste. The waste pickling solution is a valuable resource of Hf-free Zr. Many studies have investigated separating the Hf-free Zr source from the waste pickling acid. The results showed that $Ba_2ZrF_8$ precipitates prepared from the waste pickling acid were useful as an electrolyte for the electrorefining of Zr in molten salt. In the present work, electrorefining was performed in a $Ba_2ZrF_8-LiF$ binary electrolyte to recover Zr from a Hf-free CuZr ingot anode prepared by electroreduction. Before electrorefining, two pretreatments are performed. First, electrolyte melting was carried out to determine the eutectic temperature, and second, the electrolyte was treated to eliminate impurities, mainly hydride. After electrorefining, the cathode deposits were analyzed by $O_2$ gas analyzer and SEM-EDX to explore the possibility of recovering nuclear-grade Zr metal. Moreover, the anode was analyzed by SEM-EDX to determine the Zr dissolution depth.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.198-201
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• 2001

Porous structures of aluminum foam have been studied by using return aluminum scrap. The apparent foam shape, foam height, density, pore size and their distributions in various section areas of the experimental samples have been investigated. The sample have been cast into metallic mold, using aluminum foam prepared from a precursor based on pure Al ingot and return aluminum scrap mixed with various amounts of 1-2wt% increasing viscosity and foam agent materials. The process provides for flexibility in design of foam structures via relatively easy control over the amount of hydrogen evolution and the drainage processes which occur during foam formation. This is facilitated by manipulating parameters such as the foaming agent, thermal histories during solidification and mix melt viscosities. A metal for producing the foamed are decomposing a foaming agent in a molten metal such that there is an initial and a subsequent expansion due to foaming agent. It has been found that the Al porous foaming with variation amount of 1∼2wt% foam agent and at 2min holding time, which melting temperature has appeared homogeneous pore size at 650∼700$^{\circ}C$. The compression strength were 10-13 kg/min at 125ppi, and increased by higher pore density. The acoustical performance of the panel made with the foamed aluminum is considerably improved; its absorption coefficient shows NRC 0.6-0.8. It has been found that the Al foam is very preferable for the compactness of the thermal system.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.314-319
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• 2011

Melt foaming method is one of cost-effective methods to make metal foam and it has been successfully applied to fabricate Mg foams. In this research, AZ31 Mg alloy ingot was used as a metal matrix, using AlCa granular as thickening agent and $CaCO_3$ powder as foaming agent, AZ31 Mg alloy foams were fabricated by melt-foaming method at different foaming temperatures. The porosity was above 41.2%~73.3%, pore size was between 0.38~1.52 mm, and homogenous pore structures were obtained. Microstructure and mechanical properties of the AZ31 Mg alloy foams were investigated by optical microscopy, SEM and UTM. The results showed that pore structure and pore distribution were much better than those fabricated at lower temperatures. The compression behavior of the AZ31 Mg alloy foam behaved as typical porous materials. As the foaming temperature increased from $660^{\circ}C$ to $750^{\circ}C$, the compressed strength also increased. The AZ31 Mg alloy foam with a foaming temperature of $720^{\circ}C$ had the best energy absorption. The energy absorption value of Mg foam was 15.52 $MJ/m^3$ at a densification strain of 52%. Furthermore, the high energy absorption efficiencies of the AZ31 Mg alloy foam kept at about 0.85 in the plastic plateau region, which indicates that composite foam possess a high energy absorption characteristic, and the Vickers hardness of AZ31 Mg alloy foam decreased as the foaming temperature increased.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.141-147
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• 2014

Purpose: Dental casting #Gr I (Co-25Cr-5Mo-3Sn-1Mn-1Si), #Gr II (Co-25Cr-5Mo-5Cu-1Mn -1Si) and #Gr III (Co-25Cr-5Mo-3Sn-5Cu-1Mn-1Si) master alloys of granule type were manufactured the same as manufacturing processes for dental casting Ni-Cr and Co-Cr-Mo based alloys of ingot type. These alloys were analyzed melting processes with heating time of high frequency induction centrifugal casting machine using infrared thermal image analyzer. Methods: These alloys were manufactured such as; alloy design, the first master alloy manufatured using vacuum arc casting machine, melting metal setting in crucible, melting in VIM, pouring in the mold of bar type, cutting the gate and runner bar and polishing. These alloys were put about 30g/charge in the ceramic crucible of high frequency induction centrifugal casting machine and heat, Infrared thermal image analyzer indicated alloys in the crucible were set and operated. Results: The melting temperatures of these alloys measuring infrared thermal image analyzer were decreased in comparison with remanium$^{(R)}$ GM 800+, vera PDI$^{TM}$, Biosil$^{(R)}$ f, WISIL$^{(R)}$ M type V, Ticonium 2000 alloys of ingot type and vera PDS$^{TM}$(Aabadent, USA), Regalloy alloys of shot type. Conclusion: Co-Cr-Mo based alloy in addition to Sn(#Gr I alloy) were decreased the melting temperature with heating time of high frequency induction centrifugal casting machine using infrared thermal image analyzer.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.3-9
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• 2017

In this study, plasma arc remelting behaviors according to arc current, arc voltage, and types of plasma gas were investigated using Kroll processed Ti sponges as anode. In the discharge pressure range of vacuum pump ($200{\sim}300kgf/cm^2$), the arc voltage did not vary greatly with the increase of discharge pressure at a given arc length. This means that the pressure in the vacuum chamber during operation hardly changes and the atmospheric pressure maintains. Under various conditions of arc currents (700~900A), the arc voltage slightly increased with arc current. The effects of anode materials and operational variables on the arc length-arc voltage relationship were compared with the results in previous studies. When the atmospheric gas changed from argon to helium, double effect of improvement on the output of the steady state was observed. The increase of output in the plasma arc device was accompanied by an increase in the melting rate of the Ti sponge and the quality of the ingot surface was also improved. The plasma arc remelting of the new scrap titanium and the old scrap zirconium alloy could result in the fabrication of an ingot with high surface quality.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1877-1889
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• 1992

Upsetting is performed in open-die press forging to deform metal in all directions in order to enhance soundness of a product and reduce directionality of properties caused by casting. It is necessary to ensure sufficient forging ratio for subsequent cogging operations and consolidate the void along the centerline. To obtain these benefits, the upper die shape (dome and dished shape) is considered as an upsetting parameter. Thermo-viscoplastic finite element analysis has been carried out so as to understand the influence of upper die shape on the effective strain, hydrostatic stress and temperature in the upset-forged ingots without internal defects. The analysis is focused on the investigation into internal void closure in ingots with pipe holes and circular voids. The computational results have shown that the volume fraction of the void is independent of the circular void size and the closure of internal voids is much more influenced by the effective strain than the hydrostatic stress around the void. It is finally suggested that the height reduction must be over 35% for consolidation of internal voids.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.195-202
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• 2005

In this study, we investigated the effect of Sb/RE on the microstructure and mechanical properties of as-cast heavy sectioned, over 250mm thickness, ferritic ductile cast iron. Exothermic and thermal insulation material were equipped on the wall of sand cast mold having the dimensions of $250{\times}250{\times}250$ mm. The nominal composition of the molten metal was controlled to be on the eutectic composition and Sb was added about 0, 0.005 and 0.02% respectively. In the center of as-cast ingot without Sb addition, the solidification of chunky graphite was induced by the eutectic reaction that took long time, which caused the decrease of elongation and impact energy. In case that the value of Sb/RE is 0.8, the solidification of chunky graphite could be suppressed and the improvement of nodularity was observed. On the other hand, the excessive addition of Sb suppressed the solidification of chunky graphite but gave rise to the solidification of flake graphite and the increase of pearlite contents. This results in poor elongation and impact energy which is lower than those in the case of no Sb addition.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.9 no.9
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• pp.883-889
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• 1999

The pure Al or-(1,2,3wt%)Cu alloy internal chill with 4,6,8,12 and 15mm ø, respectively, was inserted at the center of a graphite mold with the size of 95mm ø$\times$200mm H. The molten metal with the same composition as the internal chill was poured into the mold at the pouring temperature of $750^{\circ}C$ and the cooling rates, solidified structures and chemical segregation were analyzed. The results represented that there was remarkable increased in cooling rate as well as decrease in grain size, secondary dendrite arm spacing and chemical segregation as the ratio of ingot to internal chill diameter was increased to 8. However there was a considerable drop of the internal chill effect when this ratio exceeded 8, resulting from incomplete melting of internal chills. The optimum ratio for the maximum internal chill effect of pure Al and-(1,2,3wt%)Cu allolys was 8 at the given pouring temperature.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.497-504
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• 2008

In a study of the optimum operational condition for a melting decontamination, the effects of the basicity, slag type and slag composition on the distribution of depleted uranium were investigated for radioactively contaminated metallic wastes of iron-based metals such as stainless steel (SUS 304L) in a direct current graphite arc furnace. Most of the depleted uranium was easily moved into the slag from the radioactive metal waste. The partitioning ratio of the depleted uranium was influenced by the amount of added slag former and the slag basicity. The composition of the slag former used to capture contaminants such as depleted uranium during the melt decontamination process generally consists of silica ($SiO_2$), calcium oxide (CaO) and aluminum oxide ($Al_2O_3$). Furthermore, calcium fluoride ($CaF_2$), magnesium oxide (MgO), and ferric oxide ($Fe_2O_3$) were added to increase the slag fluidity and oxidative potential. The partitioning ratio of the depleted uranium was increased as the amount of slag former was increased. Up to 97% of the depleted uranium was captured between the ingot phase and the slag phase. The partitioning ratio of the uranium was considerably dependent on the basicity and composition of the slag. The optimum condition for the removal of the depleted uranium was a basicity level of about 1.5. The partitioning ratio of uranium was high, exceeding $5.5{\times}10^3$. The slag formers containing calcium fluoride ($CaF_2$) and a high amount of silica proved to be more effective for a melt decontamination of stainless steel wastes contaminated with depleted uranium.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.396-402
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• 2000

Porous structures of aluminum foam have been studied. The apparent foam shape, foam hight, density, pore size, shape, and their distributions in various section areas of the experimental samples have been investigated. The sample have been cast into metallic mold, using aluminum foam prepared from a precursor based on pure Al ingot mixed with various amount of 1-2wt% increasing viscosity and foam agent materials. The process provides for flexibility in design of foam structures via relatively easy control over the amount of hydrogen evolution and the drainage processes which occur during foam formation. This is facilitated by manupulating parameters such as the foaming agent, thermal histories during solidification and mix melt viscosities. The acoustical performance of the panel made with the foamed aluminum is considerably improved; its absorption coefficient shows NRC 0.6-0.8. It has been found that the Al foam is very preferable for the compactness of the thermal system.