• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2011

Platinum catalysts were prepared by impregnating platinum precursor on titania-, vanadia-, zirconia- and ceria-incorporated silicas followed by hydrogen peroxide treatment. The effects of the oxide incorporation and the hydrogen peroxide treatment in the preparation of the platinum catalysts on their platinum dispersion and catalytic activity in carbon monoxide oxidation were investigated. XRD, TEM, EXAFS, XPS and carbon monoxide chemisorption studies confirmed the high dispersion of platinum even on silica by the oxide incorporation and hydrogen peroxide treatment. However, the type of oxides incorporated on silica caused considerable variances in the adsorption and the catalytic activity in the oxidation of carbon monoxide on them. The incorporation of titania, zirconia and ceria on silica and further hydrogen peroxide treatment enhanced the platinum dispersion, resulting in the improved catalytic activities. Among the catalysts supported on the oxide-incorporated silicas, the platinum catalyst supported on zirconia-incorporated silica exhibited the highest activity because of the highest platinum dispersion due to the formation of Pt-O-Zr bonds.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.155-162
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• 2010

Bone is a hierarchically structured composite material which has been well studied by the materials engineering community because of its unique structure and mechanical properties. Bone is a laminated organic-inorganic composite composed of primarily hydroxyapatite, collagen and water. The main mineral that gives bone's hardness is calcium phosphate, which is also known as hydroxyapatite. Light microscopy (LM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to study the structure of femurs from chicken and rabbit. The elemental analysis was used to search variation in the distribution of calcium, potassium and oxygen in the femur. Current investigation focused on two structural scales: micro scale (arrangement of compact bone) and nano scale (collagen fibril and apatite crystals). At micro scale, distinct difference was found in microstructures of chicken femur and rabbit femur. At nano scale, we analyzed the shape and size of apatite crystals and the arrangement of collagen fibril. Consequently, femurs of chicken and rabbit had very similar chemical property and structures at nano scale despite of their different species.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.92-97
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• 2009

As nanomaterials might enter into cells and have high reactivity with intracellular structures, it is necessary to assay possible genotoxic risk of them. One of these approaches, we investigated possible genotoxic potential of gold nanoparticle (AuNP) using L5178Y cells. Four different sizes of AuNP (4, 15, 100 or 200 nm) were synthesized and the sizes and structures of AuNP were analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stability was analyzed by a UV/Vis. Spectrophotometer. Cytotoxicity was assessed by direct cell counting, and cellular location was detected by dark field microscope at 6, 24 and 48 h after treatment of AuNP. Comet assay was conducted to examine DNA damage and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ mRNA level was assay by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Synthetic AuNP (4, 50, 100 and 200 nm size) had constant characteristics and stability confirmed by TEM, SEM and spectrophotometer for 10 days, respectively. Dark field microscope revealed the location of AuNP in the cytoplasm at 6, 24 and 48 h. Treatment of 4 nm AuNP induced dose and time dependent cytotoxicity, while other sizes of AuNP did not. However, Comet assay represented that treatment of 100 nm and 200 nm AuNP significantly increased DNA damage compared to vehicle control (p <0.01). Treatment of 100 nm and 200 nm AuNP significantly increased TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA expression compared to vehicle control (p<0.05, p<0.01, respectively). Taken together, AuNP induced DNA damage in L5178Y cell, associated with induction of oxidative stress.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.537-541
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• 2010

Pt-Sn with various ratios was supported on carbon black after pretreatment in an acidic solution by a reduction method. The Pt/Sn ratio was controlled by varying the concentration of each component in the solution, and the influence of the composition on the electrocatalytic activities was investigated. The crystallinity of the synthesized materials was investigated by XRD (X-ray Diffraction), and the oxidation states of both the platinum and tin were determined by XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy). SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy)-EDS (Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy) was utilized to examine the morphology and composition of the synthesized electrode, and the particle size of the Pt-Sn was analyzed by TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy). The electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction was evaluated in a 0.5 M $H_2SO_4$ solution using a rotating disk electrode system. The activity and stability were found to be strongly dependent on the electrode composition (Pt/Sn ratio). The catalytic activity and stability for methanol oxidation were also measured using cyclic voltammetry (CV) in a mixture of 0.5 M $H_2SO_4$ and 0.5 M $CH_3OH$ aqueous solution. The addition of proper amount of Sn was found to significantly improve both catalytic activity and stability for methanol oxidation.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2014

Smoke from fire is a mixture of combustion gases and particles which include micro-droplets formed from condensed organic vapors and carbonaceous agglomerates. The inhalation of smoke particles causes adverse health effects, and it is prerequisite for the hazard and risk analysis of the smoke particles to know how they behaviour in the respiratory tract. The characteristics of the absorption and adsorption of toxic gases and the amount and location of the particle deposition within the respiratory tract that determine the adverse health effects are related to the morphology and the size distribution of smoke particles. In the present work, as a preliminary study for the adverse health effects of smoke particles, the morphologies of the smoke particles from combustible materials were investigated for each fire stage: smouldering, well-ventilated flaming, small under-ventilated flaming, fully-developed under-ventilated fire. The steady-state tube furnace method given in ISO/TS 19700 was used for the generation of smoke particles. The fire stages were controlled by changing furnace temperature and equivalent ratio. The morphologies were analyzed by using Transmission Electron Microscope (Bio-TEM) by collecting the particles on TEM grids put on each stage of a cascade impactor.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.217-226
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• 2006

Image processing by ultra high voltage electron microscopy (UHVEM) and tomography has offered major contributions to research in the field of cellular ultrastructure. Furthermore, such advancements also have enabled the improved analysis of three-dimensional cellular structures in botany. In the present study. using UHVEM and tomography, we attempted to reconstruct the three-dimensional images of plastid inclusions that probably differentiate during photosynthesis. The foliar tissues were studied Primarily with the TEM and further examined with UHVEM. The spatial relationship between tubular elements and the thylakoidal membrane and/or starch grains within plastids mainly have been investigated in CAM-performing Sedum as well as in $C_4$ Salsola species. The inclusion bodies were found to occur only in early development in the former, while they were found only in mesophyll cells in the latter. The specimens were tilted every two degrees to obtain two-dimensional images with UHVEM and subsequently comparison has been made between the two types. Digital image processing was performed on the elements of the inclusion body using tilting, tomography, and IMOD program to generate and reconstruct three-dimensional images on the cellular level. In Sedum plastids, the inclusion bodies consisted of tubular elements exhibiting about 20 nm distance between elements. However, in Salsola, plastid inclusion bodies demonstrated quite different element structure, displaying pattern, and origin relative to those of the Sedum. The inclusion bodies had an integrative relationship with the starch grains in both species.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.554-558
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• 2008

$(1-x)SiO_2-(x)TiO_2$ composite fibers with various compositions of $TiO_2$ were prepared by electrospinning their sol-gel precursors of titanium (IV) iso-propoxide (TiP), and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). The surface morphology and structure of sintered composite fibers were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), simultaneous thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). As the content of $TiO_2$ in $(1-x)SiO_2-(x)TiO_2$ system was increased the average diameter of composite fibers was proportionally increased. Also, the transformation of $TiO_2$ from anatase to rutile form was inhibited by the highly dispersed $TiO_2$ around $SiO_2$ particles up to $0.6SiO_2-0.4TiO_2$ composite fibers even after calcination at $1000^{\circ}C$. The photocatalytic activity of $SiO_2-TiO_2$ composite fibers was examined for the methylene blue (MB) decomposition which was confirmed using UV-vis/DRS spectra. The experiments demonstrated that the MB in aqueous solution was successfully photodegraded using $SiO_2-TiO_2$ composite nanofibers under UV-visible light irradiation.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.467-474
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• 2007

The palladium and gold nanoparticles containing PAN-based active carbon fiber (ACF) with a high specific surface area were prepared. Using the BET, TEM, FE-SEM, and XPS, their specific surface area and pore volume, pore structure, and the change in surface oxygen groups with time were analyzed and $SO_2$ adsorption performances were investigated. Because of the impregnating process, the micropore volume was mostly decreased from 95.5% to 30.5~43.7% compared with the total pore volume. And the change in surface oxygen groups with time was higher for the metal salt than the nanoparticles. Also, $SO_2$ breakthrough time of PAN-ACFs impregnated with Au nanoparticles and metal salts did not change compared with that of the non-impregnated PAN-ACF. But the PAN-ACF impregnated with Pd nanoparticles (100 ppm) showed good $SO_2$ adsorption performance as the breakthrough time of 880 sec. These results indicated that the $SO_2$ adsorption performance depended on the change in surface oxygen groups with time and the moderate impregnation of Pd nanoparticles on the PAN-ACF caused the increase in the $SO_2$ adsorption performance by a catalytic action.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.265-271
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• 2010

Desalination effects of capacitive deionization (CDI) process was studied using $TiO_2$/activated carbon electrode. In order to enhance the wettability of electrode and decrease a electrode resistance, $TiO_2$ was coated on activated carbon. By means of $TiO_2$ coating on activated carbon, electric double layer to adsorption content in CDI process was increased. It was identified from TEM, XRD, and XPS that the activated carbon based on $TiO_2$ composite was fabricated successfully by means of sol-gel method. As a results of cyclic voltammetry and impedance, it was identified that $TiO_2$/activated carbon electrode has more electric double later capacitance and less diffusion resistance than activated carbon. Also charge-discharge and ion conductivity profiles showed that the ion removal ratios of $TiO_2$/activated carbon electrode in NaCl electrolyte of $1000\;{\mu}S/cm$ more increased about 39% than that of activated carbon. In conclusion it was possible to identify that the carbon electrode coated $TiO_2$ as electrode material was more effective than raw carbon electrode.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.413-420
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• 2008

Over the past decade, there have been significant advancement in the field of electrospinning area. This study has focused on preparing yarn using polycarbonate (PC) nanofibers including modified multi-walled carbon nanotube (mMWNT) by solution electrospinning process using the mixture of solvents consisting of tretrahydronfuran (THF) and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF). In order to enhance the dispersion, MWNT was chemically modified. TEM analysis for the prepared PC/mMWNT nanofibers reveals that mMWNT was well-dispersed into the PC nanofiber matrix. Also with increasing contents of mMWNT, thermal stability of PC/mMWNT nanofibers was improved than that of PC nanofibers. Moreover when 3 to 5 wt% of mMWNT was added, the nanofibers showed good electrical properties expecting antistatic effect, ranging 109.1~109.5 ${\Omega}$. It was confirmed that the multi-filament fibers using PC/mMWNT had $60{\sim}100{\mu}m$ in diameter and 4~5 cm in length.