• Advances in nano research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.69-76
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• 2014

We have obtained opal-like photonic crystals based on opals and inverted opals exhibiting a shift of the selective reflection band toward longer and shorter wavelengths with respect to the diffraction band of the initial opal consisting of $SiO_2$ spheres. The contribution of frames forming three-dimensional periodic structures and that of fillers to the spectral arrangement of the diffraction bands has been determined.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.443-448
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• 2006

The OPAL (Open Pool Australian Light-water) reactor is currently being constructed to replace HIFAR (HI-Flux Australian Reactor, commissioned in 1958) in mid-2006. HIFAR will be shutdown for decommissioning after several months of simultaneous operation with OPAL for smooth transition of operating systems and business. OPAL is a 20 MW multipurpose research reactor for radioisotope production, irradiation services and neutron beam research. The OPAL reactor uses low enriched uranium fuel in a compact core, cooled by light water and moderated by heavy water, yielding maximum thermal flux not less than $4{\times}10^{14}ncm^{-2}s^{-1}$. The reactor containment building is constructed of reinforced concrete and has been designed to protect the reactor from all external events such as seismic occurrences and impact from a hypothetical light aircraft crash. This paper describes the main elements of the reactor design and its applications.

• Journal of Information Display
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.19-22
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• 2001

In this paper, we describe the electro-optic effects of photonic crystals made of a synthetic opal filled with a nematic liquid crystal(LC). By applying an external electric field, a shift in the Bragg reflection peak position(stop band) and a field-induced change in its peak reflectivity are observed. These significant surface alignment effects of the opal-LC composite are discussed in a similar manner for Freederick-type transitions of LC within a confined geometry in the presence of external fields.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.115-127
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• 2009

Mineral quantification was performed on sediments of the Ulleung basin by X-ray powder diffraction and the computer software based on Rietveld quantification method. The sediments are dominated by amorphous opal-A with quartz, feldspars, micas, clays, calcite, and pyrite. The opal-A shows iterative variation in abundance with increasing burial depth. In addition, the relative abundance of opal-A is coincident with abundance of organic carbon contents, indicating that the Ulleung sediment consists mostly of amorphous silica derived from organism in the pelagic environment. Upward increase in the abundance of opal-A is markedly shown in the cores located in the slope region. On the other hand, there is a distinct tendency that the abundance of calcite is inversely proportional to that of opal-A. This indicates that the abundance of opal-A increases during the rise of sea level. Also, the fall of sea level lowers the abundance of opal-A.

• Rubber Technology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.25-28
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• 2008

By combining the multi-faceted environmental responsiveness of polymer hydrogels with photonically active structures, there has been a significant effort to create color-tunable photonic crystal sensors by changing either the periodic spacing of the structure or the dielectric constants of the materials. Here, we show that reversible spiral and helical opal switches with both dimensional and optical functionalities that respond to environmental chemistry can be constructed. When the transparent opal switch is swollen in hydrophilic acetic acid, right-handed spirals and helices that exhibit angularly dependent colors from Bragg diffraction are formed. When the transparent opal switch is swollen in hydrophobic hexane, left-handed spirals which exhibit angularly dependent colors from Bragg diffraction are formed. When the transparent opal switch is swollen in hydrophobic hexane solvent, a left-handed spiral and helix with an angularly independent bluish color is formed. After deswelling, all switches returned back to the transparent planar state. These color-tunable, reversible spiral and helical opal switches can be useful as mechanical actuators, and electrical devices as well as optical components.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.147-150
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• 2006

We have fabricated three-dimensional magnetophotonic crystals based on $\alpha$-$SiO_2$ opal films. Opal thin films grown on glass substrates were filled with bismuth substituted iron garnet (Bi:YIG). Scanning electron microscopy data, optical and magnetic properties of the synthesized samples confirm the presence of the Bi:YIG contentin the opal lattice. It is shown that the samples exhibit the (111) stop band, and transmissivity of the threedimensional magnetophotonic crystals is defined by both the film lattice and the Bi:YIG content.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.23-35
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• 2015

A 450 m-long sediment section was recovered from Hole U1359D located at the eastern levee of the Jussieau submarine channel on the Wilkes Land continental rise (East Antarctica) during IODP Expedition 318. The age model for Hole U1359D was established by paleomagnetic stratigraphy and biostratigraphy, and the ages of core-top and core-bottom were estimated to be about 5 Ma and 13 Ma, respectively. Biogenic opal content during this period varied between 3% and 60%. In the Southern Ocean, high biogenic opal content generally represents warm climate characterized by the increased light availability due to the decrease of sea-ice distribution. The surface water productivity change in terms of biogenic opal content at about 10.2 Ma in the Wilkes Land continental rise was related to the development of Northern Component Water. After about 10.2 Ma, more production of Northern Component Water in the North Atlantic caused to increase heat transport to the Southern Ocean, resulting in the enhanced diatom production. Miocene isotope events (Mi4~Mi7), which are intermittent cooling intervals during the Miocene, appeared to be correlated to the low biogenic opal contents, but further refinement was required for precise correlation. Biogenic opal content decreased abruptly during 6 Ma to 5.5 Ma, which most likely corresponds to the Messinian salinity crisis. Short-term variation of biogenic opal content was related to the extent of sea-ice distribution associated with the location of Antarctic Polar Front that was controlled by glacial-interglacial paleoclimate change, although more precise dating and correlation will be necessary. Diatom production in the Wilkes Land continental rise increased during the interglacial periods because of the reduced sea-ice distribution and the southward movement of Antarctic Polar Front.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.727-732
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• 2013

In this report, we present an inverse opal scaffold that can enhance the chondrogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) without drug, gene, or cytokine supplement. Inverse opal scaffolds based on poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) were formed with uniform $200{\mu}m$ pores. Due to uniform pore sizes and well-controlled interconnectivity of inverse opal scaffold, hADSCs were allowed to distribute homogeneously throughout the scaffolds. As a result, high cell density culture with scaffold was possible. Since the hADSCs cultured in inverse opal scaffolds were subjected to limited supplies of oxygen and nutrients, these cells were naturally preconditioned to a hypoxic environment that stimulated the up-regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-$1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$). As a result, apoptotic activity of hADSCs until 3 weeks after initial cell seeding was significantly reduced and chondrogenic differentiation related molecular signal cascades were up regulated (transforming growth factor-beta, phosphorylated AKT, and phosphorylated p38 expression). In contrast, hADSCs cultured with small and non-uniform porous scaffolds showed significantly increased apoptotic activity with decreased chondrogenic differentiation. Taken together, inverse opal scaffold could potentially be used as an effective tool for improving chondrogenesis using stem cells.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.149-153
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• 2012

The $Cu_2O/TiO_2$ inverse opal heterojunction arrays were developed by electrochemical deposition of $Cu_2O$ nanoparticles on $TiO_2$ inverse opal arrays. The $Cu_2O$ nanoparticles completely filled the inner pores of $TiO_2$ inverse opal film (prepared by liquid phase deposition with an average thickness of 400 nm) and covered the entire area; exhibiting high crystalline properties of anatase and cubic phase from $TiO_2$ and $Cu_2O$, respectively. From asymmetric current-voltage profile, it was noticeable that a heterojunction was well formed for charge transport from $Cu_2O$ to $TiO_2$ film resulting from the enhanced charge separation yield. In addition, increased photocurrent of 0.19 $mA/cm^2$ (versus 0.08 $mA/cm^2$ under dark condition) was obtained at -0.35 V from the heterojunction structure in the 0.5M $Na_2SO_4$ solution.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2013

We fabricated translucent opal glass to replace the polycarbonate diffuser in LED lighting systems in order to solve the durability problem. Batch materials of opal glass with a composition of calcium phosphate were created and melted at $1550^{\circ}C$, and the effect of opaqueness was identified by an addition of 1~7% calcium phosphate as an opacifier raw material. As a result, translucent opal glass was obtained by the melting of the mixed batch materials with a composition of more than 5% calcium phosphate glass at $1550^{\circ}C$ for 2 hrs, which had excellent optical properties for the diffuser of a LED lighting system with no dazzling from direct light by a high haze value exceeding 90% and a low parallel transmittance value of about 5%. For the thermal properties, the thermal expansion coefficient was found to be $5.6{\sim}5.9{\times}10^{-6}/^{\circ}C$ and the softening point was $874{\sim}884^{\circ}C$. In addition, good thermal properties such as good thermal shock resistance and feasibility for use with a general manufacturing process during the forming of glass tubes and bulbs were noted. Therefore, it is concluded that this translucent opal glass can be used as a glass diffuser material for LED lighting due to its high heat resistance and high durability as a replacement for a polycarbonate diffuser.