• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.211-216
• /
• 2010

Boron trifluoride lithium methacrylate ($BF_3$LiMA)-based gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) were synthesized with various $BF_3$LiMA concentration to elucidate the effect on ionic conductivity and electrochemical stability by a AC impedance and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). As a result, the highest ionic conductivity reached $5.3{\times}10^{-4}Scm^{-1}$ at $25^{\circ}C$ was obtained for 4 wt% of $BF_3$LiMA. Furthermore, high electrochemical stability up to 4.3 V of the $BF_3$LiMA-based GPE was observed in LSV measurement since the counter anion was immobilized in this self-doped system. On the other hand, it was assumed that there was a rapid decomposition of electrolytes on a lithium metal electrode which results in a high solid electrolyte interface (SEI) resistance. However, a high stability toward graphite or lithium cobalt oxide (LCO) electrode thereby a low SEI resistance was observed from the AC impedance measurement as a function of storage time at $25^{\circ}C$. Consequently, the high ionic conductivity, good electrochemical stability and the good interfacial compatibility with graphite and LCO were achieved in $BF_3$LiMA-based GPE.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.181-187
• /
• 2006

In this study, problems related with pH control in electrokinetic(EK) bioremediation of phenanthrene contaminated soil were observed, and the effects of pH control methods on the removal efficiency were investigated to search a further application strategy. In a preliminary experiment, it was found out by flask cultivation that a certain sulfate concentration was needed to degrade phenanthrene well using Sphingomonas sp. 3Y. However, when $MgSO_4$ was used as sulfate source in EK bioremediation, the bacterial activity reduced seriously due to the abrupt decrease of pHs in soil and bioreactor by the combination of magnesium and hydroxyl ions. When another strong buffering compound was used to control the pH problem, the good maintenance of the bacterial activity and pHs could be observed, but the removal efficiency decreased largely. When a low concentration of $MgSO_4$ was added, the removal efficiency decreased somewhat in spite of the good maintenance of neutral pHs. With the addition of NaOH as a neutralizing agent, the removal efficiency also decreased because of the increase of soil pH. Consequently the selection of electrolyte composition was a very important factor in EK bioremediation and some sulfate sources suitable for both bacterial activity and contaminant degradation should be investigated.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.218-227
• /
• 2015

A prerequisite for precise quantification of nanomaterials contained in environmental samples is to prepare suitable preservation conditions of samples. This study was initiated to suggest preservation conditions of aqueous samples for analyses of metal nanomaterials. Variation in the size of silver nanomaterial (cit-AgNP) was observed according to change in various conditions, such as pH, electrolyte concentration, temperature, nanomaterial concentration, and time. Aggregation of AgNP was characterized for each environmental condition, and finally proper preservation conditions of samples were proposed based on experimental results on AgNP aggregation. In addition, the preservation period of sample was computed by the doublet time of AgNP. The results indicate that the aggregation rate of cit-AgNP was close to 0 at the conditions of pH of ${\geq}7$, electrolyte ($Ca(NO_3)_2$) concentration of ${\leq}3mM$, temperature of $4^{\circ}C$, and cit-AgNP concentration of ${\leq}2mg/L$. Furthermore, the experimental results on doublet time of cit-AgNP suggest that maximum preservation period was evaluated to be 15.79~17.53 days when the concentration of 100 nm cit-AgNP is assumed to be $1{\mu}g/L$ which is considered as an environmentally-relevant concentration of engineered nanomaterials. Our results suggest that samples should be preserved at $4^{\circ}C$ and analyzed within 2 weeks.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.13-23
• /
• 2008

The triaxial compression tests and consolidation tests using NaCl solution and leachates as substitute pore (or saturated) water in samples were carried out to find out the behavior characteristics of strength, deformation and permeability coefficient of contaminated clay. Also, the chemical property analysis on the clay samples using scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer were involved. The magnitudes of composition ratio were shown in the order of O, C, Si, Al, and Fe as a result of chemical composition analysis for clay samples. Besides, as the results of triaxial compression tests and consolidation tests, the shear strength, compression and permeability properties were increased with increasing in the concentration of contaminant (NaCl). It may be considered that these circumstances be caused by the changes of soil structure to flocculent structure due to the decrease in the thickness of diffuse double layer with increasing in the concentration of electrolyte. MT3D model was also using to grasp the procedures that the groundwater may be contaminated by the leachates permeated through the clay liner. The results of contaminant transport analysis showed a tendency that the predicted concentration of groundwater was higher with increasing in the initial concentration of $Cl^-$ ion and increased as a nonlinear curves with time. The transportation distance calculated by the use of regression equation between the distance from contaminant source and the concentration of $Cl^-$ ion was increased with increasing the initial concentration.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.49-53
• /
• 2007

The direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is a promising power source for portable applications due to many advantages such as simple construction, compact design, high energy density, and relatively high energy-conversion efficiency. In this work, an electrochemical methanol sensor for monitoring the methanol concentration in direct methanol fuel cells was fabricated using a thin composite nafion membrane as the electrolyte. We have analyzed the I-V characteristic of the fabricated methanol sensor as a function of methanol concentration, catalyst electrode and platinum(Pt) thickness. The fabricated sensor was analyzed by I-V measurement with various methanol concentration. When we measured the sensor characteristics with 10nm Pt and at 1V, the current value was $1.30{\times}10^{-6}A,\;1.96{\times}10^{-6}A\;and\;2.80{\times}10^{-6} A$ for three methanol concentration of 1M, 2M and 3M, respectively. When the methanol concentration was fixed at 2M, the current value of the fabricated device with Pt layers of 5, 10 and 15 nm thickness was $3.06{\times}10^{-6}A,\;1.96{\times}10^{-6}A\;and\;1.00{\times}10^{-6}A$, respectively. These results lead us to the conclusion that when the methanol concentration increases, the output current increases and when the catalyst electrode become thinner, the current increase more. It showed that, the thinner the catalyst electrode, the more electrochemistry become activation.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.509-518
• /
• 2012

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of heat shock treatments on the phytochemicals including antioxidants and anticancer materials in kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala) sprouts. In study I, kale sprouts grown under the growing system for four days were soaked at 40, 50, or $60^{\circ}C$ distilled water for 10, 30, or 60 seconds, and in study II, kale sprouts were soaked at $50^{\circ}C$ distilled water for 10, 20, 30, 45, or 60 seconds. After the heat shock treatments, the sprouts were transferred into normal growing conditions and recovered there for two days. Fresh and dry weights, electrolyte leakage, total phenolic concentration, antioxidant capacity, total flavonoid concentration, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity, and glucosinolates content of the sprouts were measured before and after the heat shock treatments. As a result, there was a significant decrease in the fresh and dry weight of kale sprouts treated with heat shock compared with control at harvest in study I. Especially, heat shock at $60^{\circ}C$ lead to more pronounced growth inhibition compared with heat treatments at 40 and $50^{\circ}C$. Electrolyte leakage by cell collapse was the highest in the sprouts exposed to $60^{\circ}C$ distilled water, which agreed with the growth results. Heat shock at $50^{\circ}C$ significantly induced the accumulation of phenolic compounds. In study II, fresh weight of kale sprouts at $50^{\circ}C$ heat shock showed a significant decrease compared with the control at one and two days after the treatment. However, the decrease was minimal and dry weight of kale sprouts was not significantly different from that in control. In contrast, the heat shock-treated kale sprouts had higher level of total phenolic concentration than control at harvest. Heat shock treatments at $50^{\circ}C$ for 20 seconds or more showed at least 1.5 and 1.2 times higher total phenolic concentration and antioxidants capacity than control, respectively. The change of the total flavonoid concentration was similar with that of antioxidants. PAL activity after 24 hours of heat shock was higher in all the heat shock-treated sprouts than that in control suggesting heat shock may stimulate secondary metabolic pathway in kale sprouts. Seven glucosinolates were identified in kale sprouts and soaking the sprouts with $50^{\circ}C$ water for 20 seconds had a pronounced impact on the accumulation of total glucosinolates as well as two major glucosinolates, progoitrin and sinigrin, at harvest. In conclusion, this study suggests that heat shock using hot water would be a potential strategy to improve nutritional quality of kale sprouts by inducing the accumulation of phytochemicals with antioxidant and anticancer properties.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.296-300
• /
• 2009

Generation of chlorine dioxide ($ClO_2$) was studied by the un-divided electrochemical cell system using $RuO_2$ anode material. Sodium chlorite ($NaClO_2$) was used as a precursor compound of chlorine dioxide. Effect of various operating parameters such as feed solution flow rate, initial solution pH, $NaClO_2$ and NaCl conc., and applied current density on the produced chlorine dioxide concentration and solution pH were investigated in un-divided electrochemical cell system. Produced chlorine dioxide concentration and solution pH were strongly depends on the initial solution pH and feed solution flow rate. Sodium chloride (NaCl) was not only good electrolyte, it was also used as a raw material of chlorine dioxide with $NaClO_2$. Observed optimum conditions were flow rate of feed solution (90 mL/min), initial pH (2.3), $NaClO_2$ concentration (4.7 mM), NaCl concentration (100 mM), and current density ($5A/dm^2$). Produced chlorine dioxide concentration was around 350 mg/L and solution pH was around 3.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.49-59
• /
• 1985

The effects of anions on net accumulation of $(\rho-aminohippuric\;acid)$(PAH) were studied in rabbit kidney cortical slices. Experiments were carried while varying the major anionic composition of the incubation medium(replacement of $Cl^-$ by isethionate and $SCN^-$). The total replacement of $Cl^-$ with isethionate, $SO_4\;^{2-}$ and $SCN^-$ in the incubation medium decreased the 60-min slice-to-medium concentration(S/M) ratio of PAH to 60%, 40% and 50% of control value, respectively. The degree of inhibition in PAH accumulation by the replacement of isethionate and $SCN^-$ was increased with increasing of both preincubation and incubation time. The influence of isethionate and $SCN^-$ on PAH uptake was fully reversible. Both isethionate and $SCN^-$ increased the apparent Km value significantly with no change on the apparent Vmax value, suggesting a competitive inhibition on PAH uptake. And the inhibitory effect of $SCN^-$ on PAH uptake decreased with increase of pH in the incubation medium while that of isethionate increased with increase of pH. Intracellular water content, intracellular electrolyte concentration and oxygen consumption were not influenced by the replacement of $Cl^-$ with isethionate or $SCN^-$ in the incubation medium. These results suggest that both $isethionate^-$ and $SCN^-$ inhibit the PAH uptake by binding to some site necessary for normal PAH transport without affecting the cellular viability.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.672-678
• /
• 2006

A new approach to fabricate an enzyme electrode was described based on the immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on dithiobis-N-succinimidyl propionate (DTSP) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) formed on gold-nanoparticles (Au-NPs) which were electrochemically deposited onto glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface. The overall surface area and average size of Au-NPs could be controlled by varying deposition time and were examined by Field Emission-Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM). The $O_2$ reduction capability of the surface demonstrated that Au-NPs were thermodynamically stable enough to stay on GCE surface. The immobilized HRP electrode based on Au-NPs/GCE presented faster, more stable and sensitive amperometric response in the reduction of hydrogen peroxide than a HRP immobilized on DTSP/gold plate electrode not containing Au-NPs. The effects of operating potential, mediator concentration, and pH of buffer electrolyte solution on the performance of the HRP biosensor were investigated. In the optimized experimental conditions, the HRP immobilized GCE incorporating smaller-sized Au-NPs showed higher electrocatalytic activity due to the high surface area to volume ratio of Au-NPs in the biosensor. The HRP electrode showed a linear response to $H_2O_2$ in the concentration range of 1.4 $\mu$M-3.1 mM. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant ($K _M\; ^{app}$) determined for the immobilized HRP electrodes showed a trend to be decreased by decreasing size of Au-NPs electrodeposited onto GCE.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2009.06a
• /
• pp.373-373
• /
• 2009

Relative humidity, membrane conductivity and water activity are critical parameters of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) for high performance and reliability. These parameters are closely related with temperature. Moreover, the ideal values of these parameters are not always identical along the channels. Therefore, the cooling channel design and its operating condition should be well optimized along the all location of the channels. In the present study, we have performed a numerical investigation on the effects of cooling channels on performance of a PEMFC. Three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations are solved with the energy equation including heat generated by the electrochemical reactions in the fuel cell. The present numerical model includes the gas diffusion layers (GDL) and serpentine channels for both anode and cathode gas flows, as well as cooling channels. To accurately predict the water transport across the membrane, the distribution of water content in the membrane is calculated by solving a nonlinear differential equation with a nonlinear coefficient, i.e., the water diffusivity which is a function of water content as well as temperature. Main emphasis is placed on the heat transfer between the solid bipolar plate and coolant flow. The present results show that local current density is affected by cooling channels due to the change of the oxygen concentration and the membrane conductivity as well as the water content. It is also found that the relative humidity is influenced by the generated water and the gas temperature and thus it affects the distribution of fuel concentration and the conductivity of the membrane, ultimately fuel cell performance. Unit-cell experiments are also carried out to validate the numerical models. The performance curves between the models and experiments show reasonable results.