• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.575-602
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• 2009

In the wake of the Three Mile Island accident, vigorous research efforts were initiated to acquire a basic knowledge of the progression and consequences of accidents that involve a substantial degree of core degradation and melting. The primary emphasis of this research was placed on containment integrity, with: i) hydrogen combustion-detonation, ii) steam explosion, iii) direct containment heating (DCH), and iv) melt attack on the BWR Mark-I containment shell identified as energetic processes that could lead to early containment failure (i.e., within the first 24 hours of the accident). Should the core melt fail the reactor vessel, then non-condensable gas production from Molten Core-Concrete Interaction (MCCI) was identified as a mechanism that could fail the containment by pressurization over the long term. One signification question that arose as part of this investigation was the effectiveness of water in terminating an MCCI by flooding the interacting masses from above, thereby quenching the molten core debris and rendering it permanently coolable. Successful quenching of the core melt would prevent basemat melt through, as well as continued containment pressurization by non-condensable gas production, and so the accident progression would be successfully terminated without release of radioactivity to the environment. Based on these potential merits, ex-vessel corium coolability has been the focus of extensive research over the last 20 years as a potential accident management strategy for current plants. In addition, outcomes from this research have impacted the accident management strategies for the Gen III+LWR plant designs that are currently being deployed around the world. This paper provides: i) an historical overview of corium coolability research, ii) summarizes the current status of research in this area, and iii) highlights trends in severe accident management strategies that have evolved based on the findings from this work.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.459-465
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• 2018

This paper presents a study of the microstructure and mechanical properties of commercial high-hardness armor (HHA) steels tempered at different temperatures. Although the as-received specimens of all the steels exhibit a tempered martensite structure with lath type morphology, the A steel, which has the smallest carbon content, had the lowest hardness due to reduced solid solution hardening and larger lath thickness, irrespective of tempering conditions. As the tempering temperature increases, the hardness of the steels steadily decreases because dislocation density decreases and the lath thickness of martensite increases due to recovery and over-aging effects. When the variations in hardness plotted as a function of tempering temperature are compared with the hardness of the as-received specimens, it seems that the B steel, which has the highest yield and tensile strengths, is fabricated by quenching, while the other steels are fabricated by quenching and tempering. On the other hand, the impact properties of the steels are affected by specimen orientation and test temperature as well as microstructure. Based on these results, the effect of tempering on the microstructure and mechanical properties of commercial high-hardness armor steels is discussed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.1591-1600
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• 2015

The response of the freshwater microalga, Chlorella vulgaris, to heavy metal stress was examined based on chlorophyll fluorescence analysis to assess the toxic effects of heavy metals in freshwater ecosystems. When toxic effects were analyzed using regular chlorophyll fluorescence analysis, photosystem II activity($F_v/F_m$) decreased significantly when exposed to $Cu^{2+}$ and $Hg^{2+}$ for 12 h, and decreased in the order of $Hg^{2+}>Cu^{2+}>Cd^{2+}>Ni^{2+}$ when exposed for 24h. The effective photochemical quantum yield(${\phi}{\prime}_{PSII}$), chlorophyll fluorescence decrease ratio($R_{Fd}$), minimal fluorescence yield($F_o$), and non-photochemical quenching(NPQ), but not photochemical quenching(qP), responded sensitively to $Hg^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, and $Cd^{2+}$. These results suggest that $F_v/F_m$, as well as ${\phi}{\prime}_{PSII}$, $R_{Fd}$, $F_o$, and NPQ could be used to assess the effects of heavy metal ions in freshwater ecosystems. However, because many types of heavy metal ions and toxic compounds co-occur under natural conditions, it is difficult to assess heavy metal toxicity in freshwater ecosystems. When Chlorella was exposed to heavy metal ions for 12 or 24h, $F_v/F_m$ and maximal fluorescence yield($F_m$) changed in response to $Hg^{2+}$ and $Cu^{2+}$ based on image analysis. However, assessing quantitatively the toxic effects of several heavy metal ions is challenging.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.195-200
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• 2013

Novel Sr-Y-Si-Oxynitride yellow phosphors were synthesized and the effect of calcination temperature, reduction temperature and $Eu^{2+}$ concentration on their luminescence properties were studied. Optimal temperature conditions were found to be $1400^{\circ}C$ and $1300^{\circ}C$ for solid-state reaction and reduction, respectively. The synthesized $Ba_9Y_{2+y}Si_6O_{24-3y}N_{3y}:Eu^{2+}$ phosphors showed a single intense broadband emission in the range of 571~587 nm for 450 nm excitation light source. The highest luminescence intensity was obtained with Eu concentration of 3 mol% and concentration quenching was observed beyond 5 mol%. FE-SEM and PSA showed that the synthesized phosphors consists of particles with an average size of ${\sim}8.2{\mu}m$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.79-88
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• 2002

13%Cr martensitic stainless steel has been used mainly with a material for fish pre-processing machinery. However, it has not very nice cutting section because of little of the carbon content. Therefore, SUS420J2 steel that contents 0.3%C with high-strength in spite of the rust is used with a material for fish pre-processing machinery. However, studies on the corrosion characteristics of SUS420J2 steel are relatively rare. Especially, the corrosion phenomenon may cause serious degradation because the fish pre-processing machinery is exposed always to seawater environment. In this paper, the immersion corrosion test was carried out at seawater environment (pH=7.52) on SUS420J2 steel specimens that have various post-treatment conditions and its corrosion characteristics were evaluated. From test results, the specimens such as base metal, vacuum heat treatment, electrolytic polishing and tempering after quenching tend somewhat sensitive from the corrosion. In the case of vacuum heat treatment specimen of continuous immersion during 360 days, the weight loss ratio was high about seven times when compared with the different specimens. On the contrary, SUS420J2 steel specimen that has the heat treatment of tempering after quenching and the electrolytic polishing was less sensitive from the corrosion, and the weight loss ratio was very low.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2014

After harvesting the medicinal parts of Curcuma longa, the remaining underground parts were discarded. From the remaining underground parts of Curcuma longa quercetin-3-O-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside-7-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranoside (Q37) was isolated. The antioxidant activities in vitro and lifespan-extension effect of Q37 were elucidated using the Caenorhabditis elegans. The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging effect of Q37 showed similar potent activities in comparison with vitamin C. Q37 also showed potent superoxide quenching activities as measured by the riboflavin- and xanthine-originated superoxide quenching activity tests. Q37 prolonged lifespan of worms under normal culture condition. In terms of protective effect of Q37 on the stress conditions such as thermal and oxidative stresses, Q37-treated worms exhibited enhanced survival rate, as compared to control worms. To know the possible mechanism of Q37-mediated increased lifespan and stress resistance of worms, we examined the activities of Q37on superoxide dismutase (SOD), and invested intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The results revealed that Q37 was able to elevate SOD activity of worms and reduce intracellular ROS accumulation in a dose-dependent manner.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.143-146
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• 2008

In this study the thermal impact characteristics by forest fire are extensively investigated using temperature controlled ovens. The test conditions for thermal impact damage are simulated according to the characteristics of natural forest fire. The test pieces are suspension porcelain insulators made by KRI in 2005 for transmission lines. In the thermal impact cycle tests with $300\;^{\circ}C$ thermal impact gradient (-70 to $230\;^{\circ}C$), cycling in 10 minute periods, no critical failures occurred in the test samples even with long cycle times. But in tests with thermal impact gradient from room temperature to $200-600\;^{\circ}C$, cycling in 10 to 30 minute periods, there were critical failures of the porcelain insulators according to the thermal impact gradient and quenching method. In the case of thermal impact by forest fire, it was found of that duration time is more important than the cycling time, and the initiation temperature of porcelain insulator failures is about $300\;^{\circ}C$, in the case of water quenching, many cracks and fracture of the porcelain occurred. It was found that the thermal impact failure is closely related to the displacement in the cement by thermal stress as confirmed by simulation. It was estimated that the initiation displacement by the thermal impact of $300\;^{\circ}C$ is about 0.1 %. Above 1% displacement, it is expected that the most porcelain insulators would fail.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.169-174
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• 1998

Photosynthetic responses to dehydration were examined by the simulataneous measurement of O2 evolution and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence in green pepper leaves. Dehydration was induced by immersing the plant roots directly in the Hoagland solution containing varying concentration (2-30%) of polyethylene glycol(PEG-6000) . Water potential of the leaf was decreased time-and concentation -dependently by PEG-treatment. The decrease in water potential of leaf was correlated with the decrease in both the maximal photosynthesis (Pmax) and quantum yield of O2 evolution, but Pmax dropped more rapidly than quantum yield at all water deficit conditions tested. However, Chl fluorescence parameters were not affected much. Dehydration did not change the initial fluorescence (Fo) and maximum photochemical efficiency(Fv/Fm) of photosystem(PS) II. Both the photochemical quenching (qP) and non-photochemical quenching(NPQ) were not changed by dehydration under low PFR(50 $\mu$mols m-2s-1 ). In contrast, under high PFR(270$\mu$mols m-2s-1)qP was slightly decreased while NPQ was greatly increased. The fast induction kinetics of Chl fluroecence showed no change in Chl fluorescence pattern by dehydration at high PFR (640 $\mu$mols m-2s-1 ), but exhibited a significant drop in peak level(Fp)at low PRFR (70$\mu$mols m-2s-1 ). PS I oxidation and reduction kinetics revealed normal reduction but delayed oxidation to P-700+, suggesting no lesionin electron flow from PSII to PSI , but impaired electron transport to NADP+,These results suggest that water stress caused by PEG-treatment results in the reduction of photosynthesis, promarily due to the reducted electron trasport from PSI to NADP+ or hampered subsequent steps involving Calvin Cycle.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.320-330
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• 2012

This study was conducted to investigate the changes of chlorophyll contents, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic parameters, and leaf growth of Synurus deltoides under different shading treatments. S. deltoides was grown under non-treated (full sunlight) and three different shading conditions (Shaded 88~93%, 65~75%, and 45%~55%). Light compensation point ($L_{comp}$), dark respiration ($D_{resp}$), maximum photosynthesis rate ($Pn_{max}$), photo respiration rate ($P_{resp}$), carboxylation efficiency ($\Phi_{carb}$), and photochemical efficiency were decreased with increasing shading level; However, $CO_2$ compensation point ($CO_{2\;comp}$), total chlorophyll content, and specific leaf area (SLA) were shown the opposite trend. S. deltoides under 88~93% treatment showed the lowest photosynthetic activity such as maximum photosynthetic rate ($Pn_{max}$), photochemical efficiency, and $CO_2$ compensation point ($CO_{2\;comp}$). Therefore, photosynthetic activity will be sharply decreased with a long period of 8~12% of full sunlight. With the shading level decreased, carotenoid content and non-photochemical fluorescence quenching (NPQ) increased to prevent excessive light damage. This result suggested that growth and physiology of S. deltoides adapted to high light intensity through regulating its internal mechanism.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.97-102
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• 2003

Multi-channel images of 11-MUA(11-Mercaptoundecanoic acid) and 11-MUOH(11-Mercaptoundecanol) self-assembled monolayers were obtained by using two-dimensional surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption. The patterning process was simplified by exploiting direct photo-oxidation of thiol bonding (photolysis) instead of conventional photolithography. Sharper images were resolved by using a white light source in combination with a narrow bandpass filter in the visible region, minimizing the diffraction patterns on the images. The line profile calibration of the image contrast caused by different resonance conditions at each point on the sensor surface (at a fixed incident angle) enables us to discriminate the monolayer thickness in nanometer scale. Furthermore, there is no signal degradation such as photo bleaching or quenching, which are common in the detection methods based on fluorescence.