In this study, we investigated the microstructure and piezoelectric properties of 0.96(K0.456Na0.536)Nb0.95Sb0.05-0.04 Bi0.5(Na0.82K0.18)0.5ZrO3 (KNNS-BNKZ) ceramics based on one-step and two-step sintering processes. One-step sintering led to significant abnormal grain (AG) growth at temperatures above 1,085 °C. With increasing sintering temperature, piezoelectric and dielectric properties were enhanced, resulting in a high d33 = 506 pC/N for one-step specimen sintered at 1,100 °C (one-step 1,100 °C specimen). However, for one-step 1,115 °C specimen, a slight decrease in d33 was observed, emphasizing the importance of a high tetragonal (T) phase fraction for superior piezoelectric properties. Achieving a relative density above 84 % for samples sintered by the one-step sintering process was challenging. Conversely, two-step sintering significantly improved the relative density of KNNS-BNKZ ceramics up to 96 %, attributed to the control of AG nucleation in the first step and grain growth rate control in the second step. The quantity of AG nucleation was affected by the duration of the first step, determining the final microstructure. Despite having a lower T phase fraction than that of the one-step 1,100 °C specimen, the two-step specimen exhibited higher piezoelectric coefficients (d33 = 574 pC/N and kp = 0.5) than those of the one-step 1,100 °C specimen due to its higher relative density. Performance evaluation of magnetoelectric composite devices composed of one-step and twostep specimens showed that despite having a higher g33, the magnetoelectric composite with the one-step 1,100 °C specimen exhibited the lowest magnetoelectric voltage coefficient, due to its lowest kp. This study highlights the essential role of phase fraction and relative density in enhancing the performance of piezoelectric materials and devices, showcasing the effectiveness of the two-step sintering process for controlling the microstructure of ceramic materials containing volatile elements.

Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) is used for the various piezoelectric devices owing to its high piezoelectric properties. However, lead (Pb), which is contained in PZT, causes various environment contaminations. (K,Na)NbO3 (NKN) is the most well-known candidate for a lead-free composition to replace PZT. A single crystal has excellent piezoelectric-properties and its properties can be changed by changing the orientation direction. It is hard to fabricate a NKN single crystal due to the sodium and potassium. Thus, (Na,K)NbO3-Ba(Cu,Nb)O3 (NKN-BCuN) is chosen to fabricate the single crystal with relative ease. NKNBCuN pellets consist of two parts, yellow single crystals and gray poly-crystals that contain copper. The area that has a large amount of copper particles may melt at low temperature but not the other areas. The liquid phase may be responsible for the abnormal grain growth in NKN-BCuN ceramics. The dielectric constant and tan δ are measured to be 684 and 0.036 at 1 kHz in NKN-BCuN, respectively. The coercive field and remnant polarization are 14 kV/cm and 20 μC/cm2.

정수장 고도화시설 및 육상 하폐수 처리장 증설에 의해 슬러지 탈수케익 발생량도 전 세계적으로 점차 증가하고 있으며 런던협약 ‘96 의정서 발효와 함께 해양투기 금지에 따른 각종 슬러지의 육상 처리의 필요성이 증대되었으나, 처리기술 부재에 의한 막대한 처리비용이 예상되어 이의 안정화된 재활용 처리 방안이 시급한 실정이다. 또한 에너지 사용량이 증가되고 에너지 비용이 크게 증가되고 있는 상황에서 생산과 소비생활에서 발생하는 슬러지의 처리와 에너지저감형 처리기술이 개발되어야 할 것이다. 본 연구는 에너지 저감형 처리기술로 저온건조기술을 제시하고 실험실 규모의 장치를 이용하여 이론 검증하고 그 결과를 통해 5톤/일 규모의 설비를 제작, 슬러지 처리 및 성능을 평가하였다. 수분 분석계를 통해 투입 슬러지의 함수율을 측정한 결과 80% 정도였으며 24시간 건조공정 후 배출 슬러지의 함수율은 30% 내외였다. 공정 중 투입되는 저온열풍은 100℃미만을 유지하였으며 투입되는 공기의 습도와 슬러지 건조 후 배출되는 공기의 습도 차이를 통해 투입하는 저온열풍의 양을 자동으로 조절하도록 구성하였다. 건조처리 공정시 사용된 총 에너지량은 (정수슬러지) 260kW/ton확인하였다.

선진국(미국, 일본, 독일 등)들은 산업원료로 활용되는 금속자원의 40%이상을 폐금속 자원 순환을 통해서 확보하고 있으며 국내 비철금속 및 희유금속 회수 재활용은 15% 정도로 우리나라의 재활용률은 매우 저조한 실정이다. 현재 우리나라 폐금속 자원 순환은 대부분 Oil Burner 용해로를 사용하고 있어 에너지 및 자원 회수율이 낮고 환경오염이 심하다. 따라서 폐자원의 적절한 처리시설의 개발이 시급한 문제로 다가오고 있으며 이를 동시에 해결할 수 있는 방안이 개발 되어야 할 것이다. 본 연구는 전기로(SAF)를 이용하여 폐자원으로부터 자원 회수공정을 제시하고 이를 바탕으로 실험실 규모의 설비를 구성하여 검증하고 그 결과를 바탕으로 2톤/일 규모의 설비를 제작하여 자원회수량을 평가하였다. AC Type의 전기로(SAF)를 기초로 하여 변압기, 급전설비(3상), 로 본체, 승하강 Roof, 원료투입설비로 구성하였다. 로내 Slag장입 후 예열, 용융, 출탕 순서로 조업(3시간/공정)하였으며 이상의 공정을 통해 폐자원으로부터 동 90%를 회수하였다.

This study was conducted to develop a sauce prepared with sweet pumpkin and Korea Doenjang. The optimum conditions for manufacturing sweet pumpkin-doenjang sauce were investigated using the response surface methodology, based on the central composition design. The amount of stock added, the thickening agent, and doenjang were used as the independent variables, and the sensory characteristics (taste, flavor, color, and overall acceptability) were used as the dependent variables to evaluate the optimum conditions for the preparation of the sauce. The optimum conditions for the maximized-responses variables in the preparation of the sauce were 448.5 g of sweet pumpkin stock, 331.5 g of the thickening agent, and 20.0 g of doenjang. The quality characteristics of sweet pumpkin-doenjang sauce that was manufactured at optimum conditions were as follow: 89.55% moisture content, 0.70% crude protein, 0.10% crude lipids, and 0.71% crude ash. The pH of the sauce was 5.96; total acidity, 0.08%; and soluble solids, 6.80 °Brix. The total polyphenol content of the sauce was 5.70 mg/L. The electron-donating ability and reducing power of the sauce were, 14.24% and 1.64 OD, respectively.