In this study, a relatively effective process is used to sterilize Escherichia coli on the surface of micro-sized calcium citrate powder using nitrogen and argon as process gases in a low-temperature vacuum plasma treatment. The purpose of this study is to confirm and to introduce the effectiveness of homogeneous surface treatment for the sterilization of fine inorganic powder by the rotatable low-temperature RF plasma system designed by ourselves. The results of the test using 3M petrifilm showed that there were no remarkable spots in the case of the surface of plasma treated powder, whereas the untreated powder showed many blue spots, which indicating that the E. coli was alive. After 5 days, in the same samples, the blue spots were seen to be larger and darker than before, while the plasma-treated powder showed no changes. The results from FE-SEM analysis showed that the E. coli was damaged and/or destroyed by reactive species generated in the plasma space, resulting in the E. coli being sterilized. Furthermore, the sterilization effects according to the selected parameters (N2 and Ar; flow rate 30 and 50 sccm) adapted in this study were mutually similar, regardless of such different process parameters, and this indicates that homogeneous treatment of powder surfaces could be more effective than conventional methods. Therefore, the plasma apparatus used in this study may be a practical method to use in a powerful sterilization process in powder-type food.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) using various combination of binary catalysts and methane precursor. The maximum yield (10.3 %) of CNTs was obtained using a methane-hydrogen-nitrogen mixture with volume ratio of 1:1:2 at 1000 W of microwave power. As the microwave power increased up to 1000 W, the deposition yield of CNTs raised from 4.1 % to 10. 3 %. However, the prepared CNTs at 800 W showed the more crystalline structure than those prepared at 1000 W. The prepared CNTs over different binary catalysts had various structural conformations such as aligned cylinder, bamboo, and nanofibers. The Id/Ig value of CNTs overFe-Fe/Al2O3, Co-Co/Al2O3, and Co-Cu/Al2O3 were in the range of 0.89~0.93. Among the various binary catalysts used, Fe-Co./Al2O3 showed the highest yield.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD) using various combination of binary catalysts with four transition metals such as Fe, Co, Cu, and Ni. In the preparation of CNTs from acetylene precursor by thermal CVD, the CNTs with very high yield of 43.6 % was produced over Fe-Co/Al2O3. The highest yield of CNTs was obtained with the catalyst reduced for 3 hr and the yield was decreased with increasing reduction time to 5 hr, due to the formation of FeAl2O4 metal-aluminate. On the other hand, the CNTs prepared by acethylene plasma CVD had more straight, smaller diameter, and larger aspect ratio(L/D) than those prepared by thermal CVD, although their yield had lower value of 27.7%. The degree of graphitization of CNTs measured by Id/Ig value and thermal degradation temperature were 1.04 and 602℃, respectively.

Electrical properties of carbon filler/PVdF [poly(vinylidene fluoride)] composite were investigated as a funtion of carbon filler/PVdF ratio in the range of 0.2~0.5. Three kinds of comercialzied conductive carbon blacks such as Hiblack 41Y, KE300J, and KE600J, and carbon nanofibers prepared by the catalytic chemical vapor deposition of C2H4 over Ni-Cu catalysts were used as the carbon fillers. The electrical conductivity of carbon filler/PVdF composites were in the range of 0.65 to 13.5 S/cm depending the fillers' electrical conductivity ranging from 5.6 to 23.1 S/cm. Among the carbon fillers used, the KE600J carbon black showed the highest conductivity both in the composite and filler itself because of its high degree of graphitization due to the high-temperature thermal treatment and its high surface area due to the activation treatment.

In order to improve the lithium ion battery's performance, the carbon nanofibers were introduced to the anode electrode fabricated with natural graphite particles. The influence of structural adjustment of the particles by the introduction method of carbon nanofibers and the content of carbon nanofibers on the electrical property and charge/discharge characteristics of the electrode were investigated. The electrode fabricated with the mixture of 10 wt% of carbon nanofibers grown separately and 90 wt% of graphite particles showed an excellent discharge capacity of 400 mAh/g and the improved cycle performance. The improved performance could be explained by that the carbon nanofibers shortened and uniformly distributed on the surface of graphite particles by ball milling increased the stability for the intercalation/deintercalation of lithium ion and increased the electrical conductivity due to the closed packing between graphite particles.

The impregnated activated carbons were prepared by the incipient wetness method with the contents of KIO3 varied from 1.0~10 wt% as the impregnation material. The specific surface area and micropore volume of the rice hulls activated carbon were 2,600~2,800 m2/g and 1.1~1.4 cc/g, respectively. With increasing the contents of impregnation materials, the surface area and micropore volume decreased by 3~21%. However, The amounts of hydrogen sulfide adsorbed increased by 2.1~2.8 times depending on the impregnation content. The optimum contents of KIO3 were 2.4 wt%. Although the breakthrough time and adsorption capacity of hydrogen sulfide decreased with increasing temperature in the case of the unimpregnated activated carbons, they increased by 1.2~ 3.2 times for the case of the impregnated activated carbons. The optimum aspect ratio(L/D) was 1.0 and the adsorption amount of hydrogen sulfide enhanced with increasing the gas flow rate. The regeneration temperature was determined as 400℃ from the TGA experiment. The adsorption capacity of hydrogen sulfide with the impregnated activated carbon decreased gradually as the regeneration continued. The hydrogen sulfide adsorption amount of the regenerated activated carbon up to 4 times was still higher than that of the unimpregnated activated carbon.

The adsorption characteristics of bisphenol A (BPA) were investigated using activated carbon based on waste citrus peel (which is abandoned in large quantities in Jeju Island), denoted as WCP-AC, and surface-modified with various P2O5 concentrations (WCP-SM-AC). Moreover, coconut-based activated carbon (which is marketed in large amounts) was surface-modified in an identical manner for comparison. The adsorption equilibrium of BPA using the activated carbons before and after surface modification was obtained at nearly 48 h. The adsorption process of BPA by activated carbons and surface-modified activated carbons was well-described by the pseudo second-order kinetic model. The experimental data in the adsorption isotherm followed the Langmuir isotherm model. With increasing P2O5 concentration (250-2,000 mg/L), the amounts of BPA adsorbed by WCP-SM-AC increased till 1,000 mg/L of P2O5; however, above 1,000 mg/L of P2O5, the same amounts adsorbed at 1,000 mg/L of P2O5 were obtained. With increasing reaction temperature, the reaction rate increased, but the adsorbed amounts decreased, especially for the activated carbon before surface modification. The amounts of BPA adsorbed by WCP-AC and WCP-SM-AC were similar in the pH range of 5-9, but significantly decreased at pH 11, and increased with increasing ionic strength due to screening and salting-out effects.

The surface modified activated carbons (SMACs) were prepared with various P2O5 concentrations using two activated carbons (ACs: waste citrus peel-based activated carbon and coconut-based activated carbon). The characteristics and adsorptivity of bisphenol A (one of phenolic endocrine disrupting chemicals) were compared between ACs and SMACs. The contents of C, H and N of SMACs were similar to those of ACs, but the content of P2O5 for the former increased greatly than for the latter, due to the impregnation of P2O5 into the pores. The specific surface area, total pore volume, average pore diameter and iodine adsorptivity for the former decreased due to the impregnation of P2O5 into the pores, compared to those for the latter. The adsorptivity of bisphenol A for the former were higher than that for the latter, although specific surface area, total pore volume, average pore diameter and iodine adsorptivity for the former were lower than those for the latter.