• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2023

Super absorbent polymers (SAPs) are hydrophilic molecules that can absorb large amounts of water. This study was conducted to investigate the enhancement of the physicochemical properties of sand soil blended with three SAPs imbibed with 100, 150, and 200-fold water. Three treatments were applied, namely, 100SAP, 150SAP, and 200SAP. The three SAPs were blended at concentrations of 0% (control), 3%, 5%, 7%, and 10% with sand. The pH, electrical conductivity, and cation exchangeable capacity (CEC) of soil blended with the three SAPs were pH 6.35-6.46, 0.09-0.65 dS/m, and 1.42-1.92 cmol_c/kg, respectively, and their capillary porosity, total porosity, and saturated hydraulic conductivity were 21.0-29.3%, 39.2-48.7%, and 272-470 mm/hr. CEC, capillary porosity, total porosity, and saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil were positively correlated with the ratio of the SAPs (p<0.01). These results indicate that blending sand soil with SAPs increased CEC, capillary porosity, and saturated hydraulic conductivity, thus improving the nutrient-retention capacity, water-retention capacity, and permeability of the soil.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.214-220
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• 2023

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a common hydrophilic polymer that is synthesized through the saponification reaction of poly(vinyl ester)-based polymers, mostly using poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) as a precursor. The heterogeneous saponification reaction of poly(vinyl ester)-based films leads to PVA films with new surface properties. Cellulose acetate (CA), in which the hydroxyl group of cellulose is replaced by an acetyl group, is a typical cellulose derivative capable of overcoming the low processability of cellulose due to strong hydrogen bonding. In this study, P(VAc/VPi)/CA blended films were prepared by the solvent casting, and then PVA/Cellulose blended films with improved surface properties were prepared by heterogeneous saponification. The structural changes caused by heterogeneous saponification were confirmed by FT-IR analysis, where both saponification and deacetylation reactions occurred in the saponification solution. In addition, the surface property changes were analyzed by FE-SEM and contact angle analyses, and the transmittance changes of the modified films were also assessed.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.330-339
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• 2003

Three kinds of macro-reticular bead-typed chelating resins having thiol groups were obtained from basic resins like poly(strene-co-divinylbenzene) (PSD) and poly(styrene-co-methyl methacrylate-co-divinylbenzene) (PSMD): the chelating resin (I) was prepared by chloromethylation of phenyl rings of PSD followed by thiolation using thiourea. The chelating resin (ll) was designed to provide enough space to chelate heavy metal ions; one chloromethyl group was obtained by chlorination of hydroxymethyl group provided by reduction of carboxylic ester group of PSMD and another chloromethyl group was obtained by direct chloromethylation of pendent phenyl group using chloromethyl methyl ether. Both of chloromethyl groups were thiolated by using thiourea. The chelating resin (III) was prepared by chlorosulfonation of phenyl rings of PSD followed by thiolation using sodium hydrosulfide. The adsorbtivity toward heavy metal ions was evaluated. The hydrophobic chelating resin (I) with thiol groups showed highly selective adsorption capacity f3r mercury ions. However, the chelating resin (II) with thiol groups showed mere effective adsorption capacity toward mercury ions than chelating resin (I) with thiol groups, and showed some adsorption capacity for other heavy metal ions like Cu$\^$2＋/, Pb$\^$2＋/, Cd$\^$2＋/ and Cr$\^$3＋/. On the other hand, the chelating resin (III) which have hydrophilic thiosulfonic acid groups was found to be effective adsorbents for some heavy metal ions such as Hg$\^$2＋/, Cu$\^$2＋/, Ni$\^$2＋/, Co$\^$2＋/, Cr$\^$3＋/ and especially Cd$\^$2＋/ and Pb$\^$2＋/.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.183-189
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• 2005

Films of poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA)/chitosan blends and its blend hydrogels were prepared by the solution casting method. The state of miscibility of the blends and blend hydrogels were examined over the entire composition range by differential scanning carorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TGA), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). DSC analysis shows the depression of melting point of PVA in the blends and the decrease of crystallization temperature of PVA in the blends were observed with increasing chitosan content in the blends. TGA analysis indicates that chitosan was thermally more stable than PVA and the thermal stability of PVA in the blends was higher than that of pure PVA, due to some interactions between two component polymers in the blend. The glass transition temperature $(T_g)$ of the chitosan and of PVA, measured by DMA, were at 160 and $90^{\circ}C$, respectively. The $T_g$ of the blends was changed with the content of chitosan in the blends. The results of thermal and viscoelastic analysis indicate some miscibility between component polymers in the blend exists. Moisture and cross linking in the blend and blend hydrogel, which strongly change thermal and physical properties of hydrophilic polymers, affected the miscibility of chitosan and PVA to a small extent.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.315-322
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• 2014

Purpose: The physical and optical characteristics of hydrophilic tinted contact lens containing titanium silicon oxide nanoparticles and the basic hydrogel contact lens material containing 4-iodoaniline were examined. In this study, the utility of titanium silicon oxide nanoparticles as a UV-blocking material for ophthalmologic devices were investigated by measuring the UV transmittance of the produced polymer. Also, titanium silicon oxide nanoparticles only without the addition of 4-iodoaniline in primary contact lens materials by copolymerizing two groups were compared. Methods: For manufacturing hydrogel lens, HEMA, MA, MMA, 4-iodoaniline and a cross-linker EGDMA were copolymerized in the presence of AIBN as an initiator. Also, the titanium silicon oxide nanoparticles was used as additive. After polymerization the physical properties such as water content, refractive index, contact angle and spectral transmittance of produced contact lenses were measured. Results: Measurement of the physical properties of the copolymerized material showed that the water content, refractive index, UV-B transmittance and contact angle were in the range of 35.01~38.60%, 1.4350~1.4418, $34.15{\sim}57.25^{\circ}$ and 1.0~10.0%, respectively. Titanium silicon oxide nanoparticles is not used as an additive in the experimental group, the results of the measurement showed that the water content, refractive index, contan angle and UV-B transmittance of the hydrogel lens polymer was 34.00~36.80%, 1.4378~1.4420, $40.15{\sim}60.16^{\circ}$ and 1.8~25.0%, respectively. Conclusions: Also, the transmittance for UV light was reduced significantly in combinations containing titanium oxide nanoparticles.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.216-223
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• 2006

To increase the stability of liposomes in blood circulation, surface modification of liposomes by incorporating a lipid-polymer derivative in the lipid bilayer or conjugating a hydrophilic polymer to the liposomal surface has been developed. In this study, the comblike copolymer, poly(HEMA-co-HPOEM), having multiple polyethyleneoxide side chains was prepared by free radical polymerization of hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA) and hydroxypolyoxyethylenemethacrylate (HPOEM) as vinyl monomers. Poly(HEMA-co-HPOEM) was conjugated to the liposomal surface and the characteristics of the modified liposomes in serum were investigated. Conjugation of poly(HEMA-co-HPOEM) to liposomes increased the particle size of the liposomes by 30 nm and decreased the absolute value of zeta potential of the liposomes by shielding the negative charge of liposomal surface. Loading efficiency of model drug, doxorubicin, in liposomes was about 90% and the efficiency was not affected by conjugation of poly(HEMA-co-HPOEM) to liposomes. The particle size of poly(HEMA-co-HPOEM)-conjugated liposomes in serum did not changed and the protein adsorption was lower than that of control liposomes or liposomes containing polyethyleneoxide-lipid derivative (PEG-liposomes). These results suggest that poly(HEMA-co-HPOEM) is efficient for the stabilization of liposomes in blood circulation.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.75-79
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• 2006

Silica nanoparticles for polymeric dental restorative composites were prepared by Stober method, and then the effects of surface treatment of silica particles with Lmethacrylofpropyltrimethofsilane $(\gamma-MPS)$ on the dispersity of the silica particles in the organic matrix was investigated. Particles having various average size were prepared by using controlled amounts of tetraethylorthosilicate(TEOS), water, and catalyst and by changing solvent used for reaction. The site of particles prepared by using methanol as solvent was smaller than that prepared by using ethanol as solvent. In addition, the size of particles was increased by decreasing amounts of water and by increasing amounts of TEOS and catalyst. Hydrophobic silica nanoparticles was prepared by reacting hydrophilic nanoparticles with $\gamma-MPS$ to improve interfacial properties with organic matrix. Amounts of $\gamma-MPS$ per unit mass of the particles was increased by decreasing particle size. even though the amount of $\gamma-MPS$ per specific surface area were nearly the same regardless of the particle size. The dispersity of the silica particles in the organic matrix was improved when the surface treated silica particles were used for preparing the polymeric dental restorative composites.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.389-398
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• 2017

The most important characteristic of the polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) for fuel cells, the proton conducting ability is mainly influenced by the distribution and morphology of the water channels inside the PEMs. Non-perfluorinated hydrocarbon PEMs are known to have weaker water channels than perfluorinated PEM, Nafion, and thus relatively low proton conducting ability. In this study, we used a mesoscale simulation technique to observe the water channel formation and phase separation behavior of hydrocarbon PEM, sulfonated polyimides, under the humidification condition. It was observed that the water molecules were distributed evenly through the entire hydrophilic region, and clear water clusters were formed only in the sulfonated polyimide having high sulfonation degree. In addition, it was observed that sulfonated polyimides have a difficulty in forming water channel under the low hydrated condition. These results clearly support the theories of the formation of water channels in non-perfluorinated hydrocarbon PEMs, and also well explain the tendency of proton conducting abilities of sulfonated polyimides. Thus, it is confirmed that mesoscale simulation techniques can be very effective in analyzing phase separation behavior and water channel formation in PEMs for fuel cells and elucidating the ion conducting abilities.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.117-124
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• 2015

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an attractive tool in tissue engineering as they have the required potential to treat injured articular cartilage. UV-exposed DTOPV (S-triazine bridged p-phenylene vinylene) is a biocompatible and fluorescent polymer with a hydrophilic surface. Previous studies have demonstrated that the surface wettability and hydrophilicity play critical roles in regulating cell adhesion and proliferation. The objective of this study was to improve the potential of in vitro MSC differentiation into Chondrocytes using DTOPV. MSCs were cultured on two different substrates: (1) tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS) as a reference and (2) UV-exposed and patterned DTOPV films. Chondrogenesis of MSCs was induced for two weeks on TCPS and DTOPV in the presence of an induction medium containing transforming growth factor (TGF)-${\beta}3$. Interestingly, the MSCs on TCPS adhered and spread, while those on DTOPV tended to form aggregates within several days. The cells cultured on DTOPV for two weeks had a round morphology, with stronger Safranine O staining of the extracellular matrix than that of the cells cultured on TCPS. Also, Type II collagen gene was significantly expressed in cells induced on DTOPV. These results indicate that chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs proceeds more rapidly on DTOPV than on TCPS. Therefore, in cartilage tissue engineering, DTOPV could be used to induce effective chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.157-160
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• 2011

In this paper, poly (dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) was modified using electron beam irradiation and its property was investigated. PDMS sheets prepared using a conventional thermal curing method were irradiated by electron beams at absorbed doses between 20 and 200 kGy and their properties were characterized using swelling degree and contact angle measurements, universal testing machine (UTM), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), and X -ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS). The results of the swelling degree measurements, UTM, and TGA revealed that the swelling degree of the irradiated PDMS sheets was reduced down to 24% in comparison to the control sheet, and their compression strength and thermal decomposition temperature increased up to maximum 2.5 MFa and $10^{\circ}C$, respectively, due to the increase in crosslinking density by irradiation. In addition, on the basis of the results of contact angle measurements and XPS, the wettability of the PDMS sheets was enhanced up to 24% owing to the generation of hydrophilic functional groups on the PDMS surface by oxidation during electron beam irradiation.