• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.169-175
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• 2020

Silicon nitride thin films are deposited by RF (13.57 MHz) magnetron sputtering process using a Si (99.999 %) target and with different ratios of Ar/N₂ sputtering gas mixture. Corning G type glass is used as substrate. The vacuum atmosphere, RF source power, deposit time and temperature of substrate of the sputtering process are maintained consistently at 2 ~ 3 × 10^-3 torr, 30 sccm, 100 watt, 20 min. and room temperature, respectively. Cross sectional views and surface morphology of the deposited thin films are observed by field emission scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The hardness values are determined by nano-indentation measurement. The thickness of the deposited films is approximately within the range of 88 nm ~ 200 nm. As the amount of N₂ gas in the Ar:N₂ gas mixture increases, the thickness of the films decreases. AFM observation reveals that film deposited at high Ar:N₂ gas ratio and large amount of N₂ gas has a very irregular surface morphology, even though it has a low RMS value. The hardness value of the deposited films made with ratio of Ar:N₂=9:1 display the highest value. The XPS spectrum indicates that the deposited film is assigned to non-stoichiometric silicon nitride and the transmittance of the glass with deposited SiO₂-Si_xN_y thin film is satisfactory at 97 %.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.239-239
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• 2006

In the present study, we synthesized CBDA-FDA and its analogue, poly(4,4' -(9,9-fluorenyl)diphenylene pyromellitimide) (PMDA-FDA), and then investigated quantitatively the orientational distributions of the polymer chain segments in the surfaces of their films by using linearly polarized Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and optical retardation analysis. We also examined the films' surface topographies using high spatial resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM). Further, rubbed films were used to assemble antiparallel and $90^{\circ}-twisted$ nematic (TN) LC cells, and the alignment behaviors, pretilt angles and anchoring energies of the LC molecules in the cells were determined. The films were found to have very interesting surface morphologies and LC alignment behaviors, which have not previously been reported. The observed LC alignments, pretilt angles and anchoring energies are discussed by taking into account the interactions of the LC molecules with the oriented polymer chain segments and the surface morphologies.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.332-341
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• 2013

H-shaped amphiphilic pentablock copolymers $(PSt)_2-b-PCL-b-PEO-b-PCL-b-(PSt)_2$ was synthesized via chemoenzymatic method by combining enzyme-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization (eROP) of ${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone (${\varepsilon}$-CL) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene. By this process, we obtained copolymers with controlled molecular weight and low polydispersity. The structure and composition of the obtained copolymers were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and infrared spectroscopy analysis (IR). The crystallization behavior of the copolymers was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The crystallization behavior of the H-shaped block copolymers demonstrated a PCL dominate crystallization. The self-assembly behavior of the copolymers was investigated in aqueous media. The hydrodynamic diameters of the copolymer micelles in aqueous solution were measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The morphology of the copolymer micelles was observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The hydrodynamic diameters of spherical micelles declined gradually with the increase of the hydrophobic chain lengths of the copolymers. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) values were determined from fluorescence emission, and it was found that the CMCs decreased with an increase of PSt hydrophobic block lengths.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.395-395
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• 2008

Water-assisted synthesis of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has been intensively studied in recent years, reporting that water vapor enhances the activity and lifetime of metal catalyst for the CNT growth. While most of these studies has been focused on the supergrowth of CNTs at high temperature, rarely has the similar approach been made for the CNT synthesis at low temperature. Since the metal catalyst are much less active at lower temperature, we expect that the addition of water vapor may increase the activity of catalyst more largely at lower temperature. We synthesized multi-walled CNTs at temperature as low as $360^{\circ}C$ by introducing water vapor during growth. The water addition caused CNTs to grow ~3 times faster. Moreover, the water-assisted growth prolonged the termination of CNT growth, implying the enhancement of catalyst lifetime. In general, a thinner catalyst layer is likely to produce smaller-diameter, longer CNTs. In a similar manner, the water vapor had a greater effect on the growth of CNTs for a smaller thickness of catalyst in this study. To figure out the role of process gases, CNTs were grown in the first stage and then exposed to each of process gases in the second stage. It was shown that water vapor and hydrogen did not etch CNTs while acetylene led to the additional growth of CNTs even faster in the second stage. As-grown CNTs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Raman spectroscopy.

• ETRI Journal
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.349-359
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• 2002

With Ni/Au and Pd/Au metal schemes and low temperature processing, we formed low resistance stable Ohmic contacts to p-type GaN. Our investigation was preceded by conventional cleaning, followed by treatment in boiling $HNO_3$:HCl (1:3). Metallization was by thermally evaporating 30 nm Ni/15 nm Au or 25 nm Pd/15 nm Au. After heat treatment in $O_2$ + $N_2$ at various temperatures, the contacts were subsequently cooled in liquid nitrogen. Cryogenic cooling following heat treatment at $600^{\circ}C$ decreased the specific contact resistance from $9.84{\times}10^{-4}$ ${\Omega}cm^2$ to $2.65{\times}10^{-4}$ ${\Omega}cm^2$ for the Ni/Au contacts, while this increased it from $1.80{\times}10^{-4}$ ${\Omega}cm^2$ to $3.34{\times}10^{-4}$ ${\Omega}cm^2$ for the Pd/Au contacts. The Ni/Au contacts showed slightly higher specific contact resistance than the Pd/Au contacts, although they were more stable than the Pd contacts. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profiling showed the Ni contacts to be NiO followed by Au at the interface for the Ni/Au contacts, whereas the Pd/Au contacts exhibited a Pd:Au solid solution. The contacts quenched in liquid nitrogen following sintering were much more uniform under atomic force microscopy examination and gave a 3 times lower contact resistance with the Ni/Au design. Current-voltage-temperature analysis revealed that conduction was predominantly by thermionic field emission.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.2523-2528
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• 2014

In the present study, at first, azo Schiff base ligand of (N,N'-bis(5-phenylazosalicylaldehyde)-ethylenediamine) ($H_2L$) has been synthesized by condensation reaction of 5-phenylazosalicylaldehyde and ethylenediamine in 2:1 molar ratio, respectively. Then, its cobalt complex (CoL) was synthesized by reaction of $Co(OAc)_2{\cdot}4H_2O$ with ligand ($H_2L$) in 1:1 molar ratio in ethanol solvent. This ligand and its cobalt complex containing azo functional groups were characterized using elemental analysis, $^1H$-NMR, UV-vis and IR spectroscopies. Subsequently, the interaction between native calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid (ct-DNA) and CoL complex was investigated in 10 mM Tris/HCl buffer solution, pH = 7 using UV-vis absorption, thermal denaturation technique and viscosity measurements. From spectrophotometric titration experiments, the binding constant of CoL complex with ct-DNA was found to be $(2.4{\pm}0.2){\times}10^4M^{-1}$. The thermodynamic parameters were calculated by van't Hoff equation.The enthalpy and entropy changes were $5753.94{\pm}172.66kcal/mol$ and $43.93{\pm}1.18cal/mol{\cdot}K$ at $25^{\circ}C$, respectively. Thermal denaturation experiments represent the increasing of melting temperature of ct-DNA (about $0.93^{\circ}C$) due to binding of CoL complex. The results indicate that the process is entropy-driven and suggest that hydrophobic interactions are the main driving force for the complex formation.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.229-240
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• 2015

In this study, nanocrystalline ferrite powders with the composition $Ni_{0.5}Zn_{0.5}Fe_2O_4$ were prepared by the autocombustion method. The obtained powders were sintered at $800^{\circ}C$, $900^{\circ}C$ and $1,000^{\circ}C$ for 4 h in air atmosphere. The as-prepared and the sintered powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and magnetization studies. An increase in the crystallite size and a slight decrease in the lattice constant with sintering temperature were observed, whereas microstrain was observed to be negative for all the samples. Two significant absorption bands in the wave number range of the $400cm^{-1}$ to $600cm^{-1}$ have been observed in the FT-IR spectra for all samples which is the distinctive feature of the spinel ferrites. The force constants were found to vary with sintering temperature, suggesting a cation redistribution and modification in the unit cell of the spinel. The M-H loops indicate smaller coercivity, which is the typical nature of the soft ferrites. The observed variation in the saturation magnetization and coercivity with sintering temperature has been attributed to the role of surface, inhomogeneous cation distribution, and increase in the crystallite size.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.202-211
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• 2018

In this work, Fe-Pd alloy films have been electrodeposited on different substrates using an electrolyte containing $[Pd(NH_3)_4]^{2+}$ (0.02 M) and $[Fe-Citrate]^{2+}$ (0.2 M). The influences of substrate and overpotential on chemical composition, nucleation and growth kinetics as well as the electrodeposited films morphology have been investigated using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), current-time transients, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. In all substrates - brass, copper and sputtered fluorine doped tin oxide on glass (FTO/glass) - Fe content of the electrodeposited alloys increases by increasing the overpotential. Also the cathodic current efficiency is low due to high rate of $H_2$ co-reduction. Regarding the chronoamperometry current-time transients, it has been demonstrated that the nucleation mechanism is instantaneous with a typical three dimensional (3D) diffusion-controlled growth in the case of brass and copper substrates; while for FTO, the growth mode changes to 3D progressive. At a constant overpotential, the calculated number of active nucleation sites for metallic substrates is much higher than that of FTO/glass; however by increasing the overpotential, the number of active nucleation sites increases. The SEM micrographs as well as the XRD patterns reveal the formation of Fe-Pd alloy thin films with nanostructure arrangement and ultra-fine grains.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.388-401
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• 2017

Purpose: The physicochemical properties of a xenograft are very important because they strongly influence the bone regeneration capabilities of the graft material. Even though porcine xenografts have many advantages, only a few porcine xenografts are commercially available, and most of their physicochemical characteristics have yet to be reported. Thus, in this work we aimed to investigate the physicochemical characteristics of a porcine bone grafting material and compare them with those of 2 commercially available bovine xenografts to assess the potential of xenogenic porcine bone graft materials for dental applications. Methods: We used various characterization techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy, the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller adsorption method, atomic force microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and others, to compare the physicochemical properties of xenografts of different origins. Results: The porcine bone grafting material had relatively high porosity (78.4%) and a large average specific surface area (SSA; $69.9m^2/g$), with high surface roughness (10-point average roughness, $4.47{\mu}m$) and sub-100-nm hydroxyapatite crystals on the surface. Moreover, this material presented a significant fraction of sub-100-nm pores, with negligible amounts of residual organic substances. Apart from some minor differences, the overall characteristics of the porcine bone grafting material were very similar to those of one of the bovine bone grafting material. However, many of these morphostructural properties were significantly different from the other bovine bone grafting material, which exhibited relatively smooth surface morphology with a porosity of 62.0% and an average SSA of $0.5m^2/g$. Conclusions: Considering that both bovine bone grafting materials have been successfully used in oral surgery applications in the last few decades, this work shows that the porcinederived grafting material possesses most of the key physiochemical characteristics required for its application as a highly efficient xenograft material for bone replacement.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.51-71
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• 2017

Antimicrobial polyethersulfone ultrafiltration membranes containing zerovalent iron ($Fe^0$) and magnetite ($Fe_3O_4$) nanoparticles were synthesized via phase inversion method using polyethersulfone (PES) as membrane material and nano-iron as nanoparticle materials. Zerovalent iron nanoparticles (nZVI) were prepared by the reduction of iron ions with borohydride applying an inert atmosphere by using $N_2$ gases. The magnetite nanoparticles (nMag) were prepared via co-precipitation method by adding a base to an aqueous mixture of $Fe^{3+}$ and $Fe^{2+}$ salts. The synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and dynamic light scattering analysis. Moreover, the properties of the synthesized membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The PES membranes containing the nZVI or nMag were examined for antimicrobial characteristics. Moreover, amount of iron run away from the PES composite membranes during the dead-end filtration were tested. The results showed that the permeation flux of the composite membranes was higher than the pristine PES membrane. The membranes containing nano-iron showed good antibacterial activity against gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli). The composite membranes can be successfully used for the domestic wastewater filtration to reduce membrane biofouling.