• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.255-261
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• 2010

Pluronic as pharmaceutical excipients are listed in the US and British Pharmacopoeia. In particular, Pluronics exist as different compositions and display abundant phases as self-assembling into polymeric micelles with various morphologies depending on the aqueous solvent quality, the composition of structure, and hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB). Pluronics were also known as a P-gp modulator, which was exploited as a reversal molecule of multi-drug resistant (MDR) cancers. We selected a lamella forming Pluronic L92 which has high hydrophobicity and relatively long PEO block among L series of Pluronics. The dispersion of L92 showed great size particles and low stability. To increase the stability and to decrease the particle size, secondary Pluronics (F68, F88, F98, F127, P85, P105, and P123) with relatively long PEO chain were added into 0.1 wt% Pluronic L92 dispersion. The stability of binary systems was increased due to incorporated long PEO chain. Their particle sizes slightly decreased to over 200~400 nm and their solubilization capacity of binary systems didn't change except Pluronic L92/P123 mixtures. The L92/P123 systems showed ca. 100 nm sizes and lowest turbidity among the all systems. The solubilization capacity of 0.1 wt% L92/0.1 wt% P123 was slightly increased compared to 0.1 wt% L92 mono system and other binary systems. These nano-sized binary systems may have potential as alternative drug delivery systems with simple preparation method and overcome the drawbacks of mono systems such as low stability and loading capacity.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.821-828
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• 2002

Regular and highly interconnected macroporous poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) scaffolds with pore size of 10∼300 ㎛ were fabricated through thermally induced phase separation of a PLLA-dioxane-water ternary system in the presence of a small amount of Pluronics. Addition of Pluronics to the ternary system raised the cloud-point temperature curve in the order of P-123< F-68< F-127. The Pluronics act as nuclei for the phase separation. This assistance is enhanced with increasing length of the hydrophilic PEO blocks in the Pluronics molecules. Liquid-liquid spinodal phase separation was induced at higher temperatures in the systems containing Pluronics because the spinodal region is raised to higher temperature. The absorption of Pluronics onto the interface stabilizes a macro scale structure and increases the interconnection of pores.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.44 no.11
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• pp.650-654
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• 2007

[ $SnO_2$ ]-doped $TiO_2$ thin films were prepared from tin (IV) bis (acetylacetonate) dichloride and titanium diisopropoxide bis (acetylacetonate) with pluronic P123 or degussa P25 as a structural-directing agent. These hydrolyzed sol were spin coated onto Si(100) wafer substrate. The microstructure, morphology and bonding states of thin films were studied by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic activity of these films was investigated by using indigo carmine solution.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.297-302
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• 2008

To direct the evolution of nanostructure and immobilize ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ catalyst, nanocrystalline La-doped-$Al_2O_3$ powder were prepared by the sol-gel process with addition of an amphiphilic block copolymer template (pluronic P123: $(poly(ethyleneoxide)_{20}-poly(propyleneoxide)_{70}-poly(ethyleneoxide)_{20})$. The dried gel is amorphous, whereas heating at temperature above $700^{\circ}C$ leads to the formation of nanocrystalline ${\gamma}$ and ${\delta}-Al_2O_3$ and these two phases is kept until $1100^{\circ}C$. ${\alpha}-A1_2O_3 $starts to form at $1200^{\circ}C$ with $LaAl_{11}O_{18}$. The surface morphology and crystal structure has been observed by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Solid state $^{27}Al$ MAS NMR indicates two types of local environment, i.e. octahedral and tetrahedral sites. The surface area and pore size was compared among these powders using the BET nitrogen adsorption measurements.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.275-280
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• 2009

The direct incorporation of vanadium into the three-dimensional(3-D) cubic Ia3d mesostructure designated as V-KIT-6 was carried out hydrothermally using a Pluronic P123 and n-butanol as the structure-directing mixture, tetraethylorthosilicate(TEOS) as the silica source and $NH_4VO_3$ as the vanadium source. The obtained V-KIT-6 showed a very high specific surface area ${\sim}1,000m^2/g$ with tunable pore diameters in narrow distribution of sizes ~6.0 nm. The coordination and nature of V sites in V-KIT-6 are characterized by $^{51}V$-spin-echo NMR analysis. The calcined V-KIT-6 materials showed excellent catalytic activity in the direct oxidation of styrene using tert-butyl hydroperoxide(TBHP) as an oxidant.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1978-1980
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• 2009

A mesostructured form of carbon was fabricated from a template of mesostructured silica by using pentane, an aliphatic hydrocarbon precursor. To synthesize the mesostructured silica, a buffered (pH of 6.5) mixture of nonionic Pluronic P123 surfactant, sodium silicate, and acetic acid were used. The impregnated silica with Fe$(CO)_5$ (wt 5%) and pentane was placed in a quartz tube, treated with pentane vapor at 800 ${^{\circ}C}$ for two hours to synthesize the mesostructured carbon. The XRD patterns of the carbon replica in the low/wide angle regions, its TEM images, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm revealed that the long-range framework order of mesostructure with the pore size centered on 2.8 nm was maintained to some extent mainly due to some portions of mesophase carbon that work as a support to fix the hexagonal frameworks by anchoring on the pore surface with an improved graphitic character. The dc conductivity of the mesostructured carbon in pressed powder form at 6.0 MPa was 2.08 S/cm.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1653-1668
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• 2005

Assembly of hybrid mesophases through the combination of amphiphilic block copolymers, acting as structuredirecting agents, and silicon sources using low acid catalyst concentration regimes is a versatile strategy to produce large quantities of high-quality ordered large-pore mesoporous silicas in a very reproducible manner. Controlling structural and textural properties is proven to be straightforward at low HCl concentrations with the adjustment of synthesis gel composition and the option of adding co-structure-directing molecules. In this account, we illustrate how various types of large-pore mesoporous silica can easily be prepared in high phase purity with tailored pore dimensions and tailored level of framework interconnectivity. Silica mesophases with two-dimensional hexagonal (p6mm) and three-dimensional cubi (Fm$\overline{3}$m, Im$\overline{3}$m and Ia$\overline{3}$d) symmetries are generated in aqueous solution by employing HCl concentrations in the range of 0.1−0.5 M and polyalkylene oxide-based triblock copolymers such as Pluronic P123 $(EO_{20}-PO_{70}-EO_{20})$ and Pluronic F127 $(EO_{106}-PO_{70}-EO_{106})$. Characterizations by powder X-ray diffraction, nitrogen physisorption, and transmission electron microscopy show that the mesoporous materials all possess high specific surface areas, high pore volumes and readily tunable pore diameters in narrow distribution of sizes ranging from 4 to 12 nm. Furthermore, we discuss our recent advances achieved in order to extend widely the phase domains in which single mesostructures are formed. Emphasis is put on the first synthetic product phase diagrams obtained in $SiO_2$-triblock copolymer-BuOH-$H_2O$ systems, with tuning amounts of butanol and silica source correspondingly. It is expected that the extended phase domains will allow designed synthesis of mesoporous silicas with targeted characteristics, offering vast prospects for future applications.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.3570-3576
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• 2013

Poly(methacrylic acid)-functionalized SBA-15 silicas (denoted as P-x-PMA/SBA-15 where x is molar ratio of TSPM/(TEOS+TSPM) in percentage in the initial mixture) were synthesized by co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane and varying contents of 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate in acidic medium with the block copolymer Pluronic 123 as a structure directing agent and then polymerization by methacrylic acid in the presence of ammonium persulfate as an initiator. The functionalized materials were characterized by PXRD, TEM, SEM, IR, and $N_2$ adsorption-desorption at 77 K. The investigation of phenol adsorption in aqueous solution on the materials showed that the poly(methacrylic acid)-functionalized mesoporous silicas possess strong adsorption ability for phenol with interaction of various kinds of hydrogen bonds. The adsorption data were fitted to Langmuir isotherms and the maximum adsorption capacity of the three functionalized materials P-5-PMA/SBA-15, P-10-PMA/SBA-15, and P-15-PMA/SBA-15 to be 129.37 mg/g, 187.97 mg/g, and 78.43 mg/g, respectively, were obtained. The effect of the pH on phenol adsorption was studied.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.2333-2337
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• 2007

Nanoporous TiO2 and ZrO2 thin films were spin-coated using a surfactant-templated approach from Pluronic P123 (EO20PO70EO20) as the templating agent, titanium alkoxide (Ti(OC4H9)4) as the inorganic precursor, and butanol as a the solvent. The control of the electronic structure of TiO2 is crucial for its various applications. We found that the band gap of the hybrid nanoporous thin films can be easily tuned by adding an acetylacetonestabilized Zr(OC4H9)4 precursor to the precursor solution of Ti(OC4H9)4. Pores with a diameter of 5 nm-10 nm were randomly dispersed and partially connected to each other inside the films. TiO2 and ZrO2 thin films have an anatase structure and tetragonal structure, respectively, while the TiO2-ZrO2 hybrid film exhibited no crystallinity. The refractive index was significantly changed by varying the atomic ratio of titanium to zirconium. The band gap for the nanoporous TiO2 was estimated to 3.43 eV and that for the TiO2-ZrO2 hybrid film was 3.61 eV.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.1118-1120
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• 2009

Micro-size CdS spheres of hollow shape were fabricated through the self-assembly of high density arrow-like nanorods. The synthesis of the CdS hollow spheres were accomplished in an aqueous solution of cadmium nitrate and triblock copolymer (Pluronic P123) at low temperature (80 ${^{\circ}C}$) through the slow release of S2- ions from thioacetamide. Morphology of the fabricated CdS hollow spheres was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicate that the arrow-like CdS nanorods are simultaneously grown and attached each other to form the building units that become the spheres with hollow inside as a self-assembled process. The CdS spheres have a diameter of $2{\sim}3 {\mu}m$ and consist of the nanorods with a length of$\sim$800 nm. The nanocrystal building blocks have a hexagonal CdS structure.