• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.330-338
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• 2023

In this study, impacts of an enhanced-moderation Fuel Assembly (FA) named Truly Optimized PWR (TOP) lattice, which is modified based on the standard 17 × 17 PWR FA, are investigated in a natural circulation Soluble-Boron-Free (SBF) Small Modular Reactor (SMR). Two different TOP lattice designs are considered for the analysis; one is with 1.26 cm pin pitch and 0.38 cm fuel pellet radius, and the other is with 1.40 cm pin pitch and 0.41 cm fuel pellet radius. The NuScale core design is utilized as the base model and assumed to be successfully converted to an SBF core. The analysis is performed following the primary coolant circulation loop, and the reactor is modelled as a single channel for thermal-hydraulic analyses. It is assumed that the ratio of the core pressure drop to the total system pressure drop is around 0.3. The results showed that the reactor power could be increased by 2.5% and 9.8% utilizing 1.26/0.38 cm and 1.40/0.41 cm TOP designs, respectively, under the identical coolant inlet and outlet temperatures as the constraints.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.907-915
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• 2024

Various core designs with multi-batch fuel management (FM) are proposed and optimized for an innovative small modular reactor (iSMR), focusing on enhancing the inherent safety and neutronic performance. To achieve soluble-boron-free (SBF) operation, cylindrical centrally-shielded burnable absorbers (CSBAs) are utilized, reducing the burnup reactivity swing in both two- and three-batch FMs. All 69 fuel assemblies (FAs) are loaded with 2-cylindrical CSBA. Furthermore, the neutron economy is improved by deploying a truly-optimized PWR (TOP) lattice with a smaller fuel radius, optimized for neutron moderation under the SBF condition. The fuel shuffling and CSBA loading patterns are proposed for both 2- and 3-batch FM with the aim to lower the core leakage and achieve favorable power profiles. Numerical results show that both FM configurations achieve a small reactivity swing of about 1000 pcm and the power distributions are within the design criteria. The average discharge burnup in the two-batch core is comparable to three-batch commercial PWR like APR-1400. The proposed checker-board CR pattern with extended fingers effectively assures cold shutdown in the two-batch FM scenario, while in the three-batch FM, three N-1 scenarios are failed. The whole evaluation process is conducted using Monte Carlo Serpent 2 code in conjunction with ENDF/B-VII.1 nuclear library.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.8
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• pp.3144-3154
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• 2024

The development of soluble boron-free (SBF) operation in the innovative Small Modular Reactor (i-SMR) requires effective strategies for managing excess reactivity over extended operational cycles. This paper introduces a practical approach to reactor core design for SBF operation in i-SMR, emphasizing the use of gadolinia burnable absorbers (BA). The study investigates the feasibility of Highly Intensive and Discrete Gadolinia/Alumina Burnable Absorber (HIGA) rods for controlling excess reactivity sustainably. Through comprehensive analysis and simulations, the reactivity behavior with varying quantities of HIGA rods is examined, leading to the development of optimized fuel assembly designs. Furthermore, the integration of HIGA rods with integral gadolinia BA rods is discussed to enhance reactivity control and operational flexibility further. This approach utilizes the spatial self-shielding effect of gadolinia for extended reactivity management, crucial for stable and efficient reactor performance. The paper thoroughly addresses core design considerations, including fuel assembly configurations and control rod patterns, to ensure safety and performance in initial and reload cycles. This research advances the development of SBF operation in i-SMR by offering practical reactivity management solutions.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.893-899
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• 2004

Even though Ti-6Al-4V has gained popularity as an implant material, the possible dissolution of Al and V ions in body fluids remains a matter of concern. Though commercially pure Ti (Cp-Ti) overcomes this problem, the mechanical strength of pure titanium remains very low. Thus, in this experiment Cp-Ti was processed by Equal channel angular processing (ECAP), in order to increase the mechanical strength. The biocompatibility of ECAP-Ti, Cp-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V was examined by the apatite formation on each sample surface, after treating the surface with 5M NaOH and soaking in Simulated body fluids (SBF). Initially, the samples were mechanically polished on silicone carbide paper (#2000). The polished samples were treated with 5M NaOH solution at $60^{\circ}C$ for 24 hours. The NaOH treated samples were washed gently with distill water and dried at $40^{\circ}C$ for 1 day. The dried samples were heat treated in air at $600^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour. The surface morphology of these samples were studied using SEM and XRD. The SEM studies showed network of pores in all samples. The XRD showed oxide layer formation on Cp-Ti and Ti-6Al-4V. samples. However the oxide layer in ECAP-Ti was not substantial. These samples were immersed in SBF, kept at $36.5^{\circ}C$ for seven days period. At the end of 7 days, the apatite formation was confirmed only on Cp-Ti and was not observed in Ti-6Al-4V and ECAP-Ti. These observations of apatite formation relate to the fact that Cp-Ti showed greater oxide layer than other samples. The apatite examined was confirmed as tricalcium phosphate (TCP) using EDS and XRD.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.203-211
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• 2021

Octacalcium phosphate(OCP, Ca₈H₂(PO₄)₆·5H₂O) is one of biodegradable calcium phosphate materials with osteoconductivity and biocompatibility. It has the advantage of rapid bone formation and resorption due to the property of stimulating stromal cells to differentiate into osteoblasts. However, if OCP is inserted in body, it is immediately decomposed without maintaining of its shape as scaffolds due to their weak cohesive force between powder. On the other hand, hydroxyapatite (HA, Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂), which has a crystal structure similar to that of OCP, remains in the body without decomposition until the bone defect is restored. In this study, the degradation behavior of OCP/HA disc with different amount of HA in SBF (simulated body fluid) solution was characterized in terms of the weight loss, pH variation and microstructure change with immersion duration in SBF solution. As a result, the OCP/HA disc was not quickly decomposed and maintained its own shape for 2 weeks regardless of HA content. In particular, the surface of 40HA specimen was uniformly dissolved and then CDHA (calcium deficient hydroxyapatite) phase were formed onto the surface of disc after 7 days in SBF solution. It would be suggested that the 40HA specimen would be suitable candidate material as the scaffolds for the restoration of bone defect.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.191-198
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• 2022

Zirconia and titanium alloys, which are mainly used for dental implant materials, have poor osseointegration and osteogenesis abilities due to their bioinertness with low bioactivity on surface. In order to improve their surface bioinertness, surface modification with a bioactive material is an easy and simple method. In this study, akermanite (Ca₂MgSi₂O₇), a silicate-based bioceramic material with excellent bone bonding ability, was synthesized by a solid-state reaction and investigated its bioactivity from the analysis of surface dissolution and precipitation of hydroxyapatite particles in SBF solution. Calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), magnesium carbonate (MgCO₃), and silicon dioxide (SiO₂) were used as starting materials. After homogeneous mixing of starting materials by ball milling and the drying of at oven, uniaxial pressing was performed to form a compacted disk, and then heat-treated at high temperature to induce the solid-state reaction to akermanite. Bioactivity of synthesized akermanite disk was evaluated with the reaction temperature from the immersion test in SBF solution. The higher the reaction temperature, the more pronounced the akermanite phase and the less the surface dissolution at particle surface. It resulted that synthesized akermanite particles had high bioactivity on particle surface, but it depended on reacted temperature and phase composition. Moderate dissolution occurred at particle surfaces and observed the new precipitated hydroxyapatite particles in synthetic akermanite with solid-state reaction at 1100℃.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.217-226
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the nutrient intake and dietary habits based on breakfast consumption in Korean adolescents. Methods: The data of the 2013 ~ 2015 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were used in this study. The analysis included 1,281 adolescents aged 12 to 18 years. The subjects were divided into two groups (EBF: eating breakfast, n = 911; SBF: skipping breakfast, n = 370). Results: The EBF group was significantly younger than the SBF group. In addition, the EBF group had a significantly lower frequency of skipping dinner than the SBF group. The EBF group consumed significantly higher levels of most nutrients except for vitamin A than the SBF group. The percent of nutrient intake under the EAR (estimated average requirements) in the EBF group were also significantly lower than that in the SBF group. Moreover, the NAR (nutrient adequacy ratio) and MAR (mean adequacy ratio) of the EBF group were significantly higher than those of the SBP group. The intake of cereal, sugars and sweeteners, vegetables, and eggs in the EBF group was significantly higher than that in the SBF group. Conclusion: The habit of skipping breakfast in adolescents leads to a decrease in the total nutrient intake and imbalanced dietary habits. Breakfast consumption in adolescence is very important. Therefore, more studies will be needed to develop nutrition education systematically in Korean adolescents.

• Proceedings of the Korean Ceranic Society Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.128.2-128
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• 2002

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.42 no.11 s.282
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• pp.770-776
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• 2005

Hardening and hydroxyapatite(HAp) formation behavior of the bioactive cements in the system of $CaO-SiO_{2}-P_{2}O_{5}$ glasses and the corresponding glass-ceramics were studied. DCPD (Dicalcium Phosphate Dihydrate: $CaHPO_4{\cdot}2H_2O$) and DCPA (Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous: $CaHPO_4$) were developed when the prepared glass and glass-ceramic powders were mixed with three different solutions. The DCPD and DCPA transformed to HAp when the cement was soaked in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF), and this HAp formation strongly depended on the releasing capacity of $Ca^{2+}$ ions from the cements. The glass-ceramic containing apatite showed fast setting, but no HAp formation was observed because no $Ca^{2+}$ ions were released from this glass-ceramics. The compressive strength of the cements increased with reaction time in SBF until all DCPD and DCPA transformed to HAp.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.43-53
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• 2016

In this study, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) was used to examine the changes in the electrochemical properties of biodegradable pure magnesium implanted into Sprague-Dawley rats for three days. The in vivo test results were compared with those of the in vitro tests carried out in Hank's, dilute saline and simulated body fluid (SBF) solutions. The in vitro corrosion rates were 20~1700 fold higher, as compared to the in vivo corrosion rates. This discrepancy is caused by biomolecule adsorption on the surface, which prevents the transport of water into the magnesium surface on in vivo testing. Among the in vitro experimental conditions, the corrosion rate in SBF solution had the least difference from the in vivo implanted specimen.