• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.119-127
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• 2012

Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify concentration characteristics of indoor and outdoor airborne total fiber particles and asbestos in Gyeongnam Provinces. Methods: This study investigated concentration characteristics of indoor fiber particles from 748 schools and 38 public facilities as well as outdoor particles from 11 sites through PCM (phase contrast microscope). SEM/EDX (scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive using X-ray analysis) was used to obtain physicochemical information of asbestos fiber particles. The study identified asbestos rate in the 15 samples from indoor and outdoor airborne total fiber particles. Results: 1. The average indoor airborne concentrations of total fiber particles were $0.0011{\pm}0007$ f/cc in schools and $0.0015{\pm}0007$ f/cc in public facilities by PCM. Over 90% of the fiber particles were identified as single fibers. 2. The average outdoor airborne concentrations of total fiber particles were $0.0007{\pm}0002$ f/cc, and they were lower than those of indoor airborne concentrations. 3. The results showed that the form of asbestiform was diverse as skein of thread like form and long needle, which was relatively narrower than that of glass fiber and rock wool. 4. The results of SEM/EDX analysis of 15 areas where total fiber particle was relatively high showed that the form was rather similar to that of asbestos, but chemical composition was proven to be non-asbestos. Conclusions: The concentration of indoor and outdoor airborne total fiber particles of Gyeongnam Provinces satisfied the IAQ (Indoor air quality) level of 0.01 f/cc and asbestos was not found in most of the samples by SEM/EDX.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.672-678
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• 2017

In the production of zirconium cladding tube, a pickling acid solution is used to remove surface contaminants, which generates tons of pickling acid waste. The waste pickling solution is a valuable resource of Hf-free Zr. Many studies have investigated separating the Hf-free Zr source from the waste pickling acid. The results showed that $Ba_2ZrF_8$ precipitates prepared from the waste pickling acid were useful as an electrolyte for the electrorefining of Zr in molten salt. In the present work, electrorefining was performed in a $Ba_2ZrF_8-LiF$ binary electrolyte to recover Zr from a Hf-free CuZr ingot anode prepared by electroreduction. Before electrorefining, two pretreatments are performed. First, electrolyte melting was carried out to determine the eutectic temperature, and second, the electrolyte was treated to eliminate impurities, mainly hydride. After electrorefining, the cathode deposits were analyzed by $O_2$ gas analyzer and SEM-EDX to explore the possibility of recovering nuclear-grade Zr metal. Moreover, the anode was analyzed by SEM-EDX to determine the Zr dissolution depth.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.127-137
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• 2019

Zr electrorefining is demonstrated herein using Zirlo tubes in a chloride-fluoride mixed molten salt in the presence of $AlF_3$. Cyclic voltammetry reveals a monotonic shift in the onset of metal reduction kinetics towards positive potential and an increase in intensity of the additional peaks associated with Zr-Al alloy formation with increasing $AlF_3$ concentration. Unlike the galvanostatic deposition mode, a radial plate-type Zr growth is evident at the top surface of the salt during Zr electrorefining at a constant potential of -1.2 V. The diameter of the plate-type Zr deposit gradually increases with increasing $AlF_3$ concentration. Scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses for the plate-type Zr deposit show that trace amount of Al is incorporated as Zr-Al alloys with different chemical compositions between the top and bottom surface of the deposit. Addition of $AlF_3$ is effective in lowering the residual salt content in the deposit and in improving the current efficiency for Zr recovery.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.792-799
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• 2019

The present study aims to investigate the fluorination of thorium oxide ($ThO_2$) by ammonium hydrogen difluoride ($NH_4HF_2$). Fluorination was performed at room temperature by mixing $ThO_2$ and $NH_4HF_2$ at different molar ratios, which was then left to react for 20 days. Next, the mixtures were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) at the intervals of 5, 10, 15, and 20 days, followed by the heating of the mixtures at $450-750^{\circ}C$ with argon gas flow. The characterization of $ThF_4$ was established using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy-dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). In this study, ammonium thorium fluoride was synthesized through the fluorination of $ThO_2$ at room temperature. The optimum molar ratio in synthesizing ammonium thorium fluoride was 1.0:5.5 ($ThO_2:NH_4HF_2$) with 5 days reaction time. In addition, the heating of ammonium thorium fluoride at $450^{\circ}C$ was sufficient to produce $ThF_4$. Overall, this study proved that $NH_4HF_2$ is one of the fluorination agents that is capable of synthesizing $ThF_4$.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.179-188
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• 2021

Reputed for their low friction coefficient and wear protection effect, diamond-like carbon (DLC) materials are considered amongst the most important lubricant coatings for tribological applications. In this framework, this investigation aims to elucidate the effect of a few operating parameters, such as applied stress and sliding amplitude on the friction lifetime of DLC coatings. Fretting wear tests are conducted using a 12.7 mm radius counterpart of 52100 steel balls slid against a substrate of the same material coated with a 2 ㎛ thickness DLC. Approximately, 5 to 57 N force is applied, generating a maximum Hertzian contact pressure of 430 to 662 MPa, corresponding to the applied force. The coefficient of friction (CoF) generates three regimes, first a running-in period regime, followed by a steady-state evolution regime, and finally a progressive increase of the CoF reaching the steel CoF value, as an indicator of reaching the substrate. To track the wear scenario, interrupted tests are performed with analysis combining scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), 3D profilometer and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The results show two endurance values: one characterizing the coating failure (Nc₁), and the other (Nc₂) indicating the friction failure which is situated where the CoF reaches a threshold value of μ_th = 0.3 in the third regime. The Archard energy density factor is used to determine the two endurance values (Nc₁, Nc₂). Based on this approach, a master curve is established delimitating both the coating and the friction endurances.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.398-404
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• 2000

The Ti-Al-V-N films have been deposited on various substrates by d.c and r.f reactive magnetron sputtering from a Ti-6Al-4V alloy target in mixed $Ar-N_2$ discharges. The films were investigated by means of XRD, AES, SEM/EDX, microhardness, TG and scratch test. The XRD and SEM results indicated that the films were of single B1 NaCl phase having dense columnar structure with the (111) preferred orientation. The composition of Ti-Al-V-N film was the Ti-7.1Al-4.3V-N(wt%) films. Adhesion and microhardness of Ti-Al-V-N films deposited by r.f magnetron sputtering method were better than those deposited by d.c magnetron sputtering method. The anti-oxidation properties of Ti-Al-V-N films were also superior to that of Ti-N film deposited by the same deposition conditions.

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.787-794
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• 1995

To improvement the magnetic and frequency properties of YIG(Yttrium-Iron Garnet) in microwave region, it is investigated that the effect of $Al^{3+}$ ions on magnetic and frequency characteristics of YIG, using samples of basic YIG composition( $Y_{3}$F $e_{5}$ $O_{l2}$) added with A1$_{2}$ $O_{3}$ from 0 to 2.5 [mol%]. The measurment is conducted mainly for the structural properties and magnetical properties. The structural properties is measured using SEM(Scanning Electro Microscope), EDX(Energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer) and XRD(X-ray diffraction equipment). The magnetical properties is measured with B-H curve tracer and impedance analyzer. As a result, it is confin-ned that the effect of eddy current loss is minimized while maintaining high saturation flux density of YIG, when YIG is added with 0.5 [mol%] of A1$_{2}$ $O_{3}$.>.>.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 2008

Inorganic chemical treated wood was prepared by impregnation of calcium or magnesium chloride ($CaCl_2$ or $MgCl_2$) solution and immersion in saturated solution of ammonium fluoride ($NH_4F$) as a reactant in order to make an introduction of a refractory fluorides with fungicidal and insecticidal effects in wood. The weight percent gains (WPGs) were increased with increase in concentration of calcium chloride or magnesium chloride solution, and were higher in treatment with calcium chloride than with magnesium chloride. Inorganic substances were produced mainly in the lumina of tracheides. These substances were proved to be the calcium fluoride or magnesium fluoride by the energy dispersive X-ray analyzer in conjunction with a scanning electron microscope (SEM-EDX). The treated wood showed good decay resistance because the weight losses were hardly occurred by the test fungi such as Tyromyces palustris and Trametes versicolor. The fire resistance effect was superior to the treated wood compared with that of the untreated wood.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.10 no.7
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• pp.963-968
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• 1999

The global environmental problems have been caused by the release of CFCs. Therefore, methods for safe destruction of recoverd CFCs will be eventually needed. The objective of this study was to develop and test a catalyst operating at a mild condition for the decomposition of CFC-113. In this work, catalytic oxidative decomposition of CFC-113 was carried out over aerosol $TiO_2/SiO_2(ATS)$ catalysts prepared by the sol-gel method. All ATS catalysts(Ti/Si mol ratio=1, 2, 2.33, 4) showed high initial activity. However, the deactivation of ATS catalysts was found that more remarkable due to an attack of fluorine and the destruction of ATS structure(Si-F reaction) from analyses of SEM-EDX, XRD than $TiO_2/SiO_2(ATS)$ catalyst prepared by the precipitation method. ATS catalysts prepared by more acidic prehydrolysis condition were found to have still more activity and longer life-time by increasing of acidity. The activity of ATS catalyst also depend on the content of $TiO_2$. There was reason that the acidity of the ATS catalyst was increased with the increased content of $TiO_2$ from 50 to 80 mol %. Solid superacid catalyst ($ATX/SO_4{^{2-}}$) modified with $H_2SO_4$ solution was prepared for high activity and lower deactivation. The reaction of $ATS/SO_4{^{2-}}$ catalyst also exhibited even higher activity and lower deactivation than the original ATS catalyst. It is suggested that the addition of the sulphate species clearly inhibit the deactivation.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1199-1205
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• 2017

Global energy consumption is rapidly increasing yearly due to drastic industrial advances, requiring the development of new energy storage devices. For this reason, supercapacitors with fast charge-discharge, long life cycle and high power density is getting attention, and have been considered as one of the potential energy storage systems. In this research, we developed a supercapacitor that consists of amorphous manganese oxide($MnO_2$) electrodes deposited onto carbon cloth substrates using the hydrothermal method. The Fe-doped amorphous $MnO_2$ samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDX), as well as scanning electron microscopy(SEM). The electrochemical analysis of the prepared samples were performed using cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements in 1M $Na_2SO_4$ electrolyte. The test results demonstrate that the supercapacitor based on the Fe-doped amorphous $MnO_2$ electrodes has a specific capacitance as high as 163F/g at 1A/g current density, and good cycling stability of 87.34% capacitance retention up to 1000 cycles.