• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.237-249
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• 2019

Confirming the direct link between neural circuit activity and animal behavior has been a principal aim of neuroscience. The genetically encoded calcium indicator (GECI), which binds to calcium ions and emits fluorescence visualizing intracellular calcium concentration, enables detection of in vivo neuronal firing activity. Various GECIs have been developed and can be chosen for diverse purposes. These GECI-based signals can be acquired by several tools including two-photon microscopy and microendoscopy for precise or wide imaging at cellular to synaptic levels. In addition, the images from GECI signals can be analyzed with open source codes including constrained non-negative matrix factorization for endoscopy data (CNMF_E) and miniscope 1-photon-based calcium imaging signal extraction pipeline (MIN1PIPE), and considering parameters of the imaged brain regions (e.g., diameter or shape of soma or the resolution of recorded images), the real-time activity of each cell can be acquired and linked with animal behaviors. As a result, GECI signal analysis can be a powerful tool for revealing the functions of neuronal circuits related to specific behaviors.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• 제57권3호
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• pp.387-391
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• 2019

A highly porous Ni@MIL-101catalyst for urea oxidation was synthesized by anchoring Ni into a Cr-based metal-organic framework, MIL-101, particles. The morphology, structure, and composition of as synthesized Ni@MIL-101 catalysts were characterized by X-Ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The electro-catalytic activity of the Ni@MIL-101catalysts towards urea oxidation was investigated using cyclic voltammetry. It was found that the structure of Ni@MIL-101 retained that of the parent MIL-101, featuring a high BET surface area of $916m^2g^{-1}$, and thus excellent electro-catalytic activity for urea oxidation. A $urea/H_2O_2$ fuel cell with Ni@MIL-101 as anode material exhibited an excellent performance with maximum power density of $8.7mWcm^{-2}$ with an open circuit voltage of 0.7 V. Thus, this work shows that the highly porous three-dimensional Ni@MIL-101 catalysts can be used for urea oxidation and as an efficient anode material for urea fuel cells.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.85-93
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• 2021

The corrosion damage of materials in marine environment mainly occurs by Cl^- ions due to the breakdown of passive films. Additionally, various characteristics in seawater such as salinity, temperature, immersion time, flow rate, and biological activity also affect corrosion characteristics. In this study, the corrosion characteristics of stainless steels (STS 304 and STS 316L) and anodized aluminum alloys (AA 3003 and AA 6063) were evaluated with seawater temperature parameters. A potentiodynamic polarization experiment was conducted in a potential range of -0.25 V to 2.0 V at open circuit potential (OCP). Corrosion current density and corrosion potential were obtained through the Tafel extrapolation method to analyze changes in corrosion rate due to temperature. Corrosion behavior was evaluated by measuring weight loss before/after the experiment and also observing surface morphology through a scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and 3D microscopy. Weight loss, maximum damage depth and pitting damage increased as seawater temperature increased, and furthermore, the tendency of higher corrosion current density with an increase of temperature attributed to an increase in corrosion rate. There was lower pitting damage and lower corrosion current density for anodized aluminum alloys than for stainless steels as the temperature increased.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제30권12호
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• pp.660-665
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• 2020

Silicon heterojunction solar cells can achieve high conversion efficiency with a simple structure. In this study, we investigate the passivation characteristics of VOx thin films as a hole-selective contact layer using ALD (atomic layer deposition). Passivation characteristics improve with iVoc (implied open-circuit voltage) of 662 mV and minority carrier lifetime of 73.9 µs after post-deposition annealing (PDA) at 100 ℃. The improved values are mainly attributed to a decrease in carbon during the VOx thin film process after PDA. However, once it is annealed at temperatures above 250 ℃ the properties are rapidly degraded. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to analyze the chemical states of the VOx thin film. As the annealing temperature increases, it shows more formation of SiOx at the interface increases. The ratio of V5+ to V4+, which is the oxidation states of vanadium oxide thin films, are 6:4 for both as-deposition and annealing at 100 ℃, and 5:5 for annealing at 300 ℃. The lower the carbon content of the ALD VOx film and the higher the V5+ ratio, the better the passivation characteristics.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.101-111
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• 2021

To improve the potential of single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFCs) as an applicable technology, the main challenge is a practical application for larger scales bioenergy production from potent exoelectrogenic microorganism with real dairy wastewater. To increase power generation, three individual MFCs were together operated in series best under the fed batch condition for 15 days. The volume of MFC 1 and MFC 2 is "300 mL" and MFC 3 is "500 mL" respectively. The individual MFCs 1, MFC 2 and MFC 3 gives an open circuit voltage of 0.60 V, 0.66 V and 0.55 V and result in total working voltage when connected in series of 1.745V, which lead an LED to glow. The maximum power densities obtained from MFC 1, MFC 2 and MFC 3 are 62 mW/㎡, 50 mW/㎡ and 45 mW/㎡ (normalized to the surface area of the anodic electrode, which was 50 ㎠ for all three MFCs), and corresponding to current densities of 141 mA/㎡, 155 mA/㎡ and 123 mA/㎡, respectively. Therefore this work suggests the cheapest way to connect microbial fuel cells in series to gain power with the lowest operating cost and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.221-229
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• 2022

To understand effects of cooling rates of coating layer on microstructures and corrosion behaviors of hot-dip alloy coated steel sheets (Zn-5%Al-2%Mg) in a neutral aqueous condition with chloride ion, a range of experimental and analytical methods were used in this study. Results showed that a faster cooling rate during solidification decreased the fraction of primary Zn, and increased the fraction of Zn-Al phase. In addition, interlamellar spacing became refined under a faster cooling rate. These modifications of the coating structure had higher open circuit potentials (OCP) with smaller anodic and cathodic current densities in the electrochemical potentiodynamic polarization. Surface analyses after a salt spray test showed that the increase in the Zn-Al phase in the coating formed under a faster cooling rate might have contributed to the formation of simonkolleite (Zn₅(OH)₈Cl₂·H₂O) and hydrotalcite (ZnAl₂(OH)₆Cl₂·H₂O) with a protective nature on the corroded outer surface, thus delaying the formation of red rust.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.111-120
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• 2022

To solve the corrosion problem of industrial equipment and other constructions containing metals, corrosion protection can be performed by using coating which provides a barrier between the metal and its environment. Coatings play a significant role in protecting irons and steels in harsh marine and acid environments. This study was conducted to identify an anti-corrosive epoxy coating for carbon steel composite with 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 wt% concentrations of nanoparticles of SiO₂ using the dip-coating method. The electrochemical behavior was analyzed with open circuit potential (OCP) technics and polarization curves (Tafle) in 3.5 wt% NaCl and 5 vol% H₂SO₄ media. The structure, composition, and morphology were characterized using different analytical techniques such as X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared spectrum (FT-IR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Results revealed that epoxynano SiO₂ coating demonstrated a lower corrosion rate of 2.51 × 10^-4 mm/year and the efficiency of corrosion protection was as high as 99.77%. The electrochemical measurement showed that the nano-SiO₂ / epoxy coating enhanced the anti-corrosive performance in both NaCl and H₂SO₄ media.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.143-155
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• 2022

Ceramic oxide layers successfully were formed on the surface of cast Al alloys with high Si contents using plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) process in electrolytes containing Na₂SiO₃, NaOH, and additives. The microstructure of the oxide layers was systematically analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), and energy X-ray dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). XRD analysis indicated that the PEO untreated high-silicon Al alloys (i.e., 17.1 and 11.7 wt.% Si) consist of Al, Si and Al₂Cu phases whereas Al₂Cu phase selectively disappeared after PEO treatment. PEO process yielded an amorphous oxide layer with few second phases including γ-Al₂O₃ and Fe-rich phases. The corrosion behaviors of high-silicon Al alloys treated by PEO process were investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and other electrochemical techniques (i.e., open circuit potential and polarization curve). Electroanalytical studies indicated that high-silicon Al alloys treated by PEO process have greater corrosion resistance than high-silicon alloys untreated by PEO process.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.250-258
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• 2023

Ceramic oxide layer was formed on the surface of high silicon aluminum alloy by using PEO (plasma electrolytic oxidation) process. The microstructure of the oxide layer was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction patterns (XRD). The high silicon aluminum alloy prior to PEO process consists of Al, Si and Al₂Cu phases in XRD analysis, whereas Al₂Cu phase selectively disappeared after PEO treatment. Considerable decrease of relative intensity in most of peaks in XRD results of the high silicon aluminum alloy treated by PEO process was observed. It may be attributed to the formation of amorphous phases after PEO treatment. The corrosion behavior of the high silicon aluminum alloy treated by PEO process was investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and other electrochemical techniques (i.e., open circuit potential and polarization curve). Electroanalytical studies indicated that the high silicon aluminum alloy treated by PEO process shows greater corrosion resistance than that untreated by PEO process.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권8호
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• pp.2742-2746
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• 2023

The corrosion behavior of copper immersed in dilute oxychloride solution (100 mM) was studied through surface investigation and in-situ monitoring of open-circuit potential. The copper corrosion was initiated with copper dissolution into a form of CuCl^-₂, resulting in mass decrease within the first 40 h of immersion. This was followed by a hydrolysis reaction initiated by the CuCl^-₂ at the copper surface, after which oxide products were formed and deposited on the surface, resulting in a mass increase. The formation of nucleation sites for copper oxide and its lateral extension during the corrosion process were examined using focused ion beam (FIB)-scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The presence of metastable compounds such as atacamite (CuCl₂·3Cu(OH)₂) on the corroded copper surface was revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)-energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) analysis.