Defects of zeolite membranes often lower their separation performance. Thus, the investigation of the defects is highly critical in achieving high separation performance. While general characterization methods (e.g. scanning electron microscopy; SEM) that examine the membrane surface cannot detect defects, the FCOM measurement is able to identify the defective structure inside the zeolite membrane using dye molecules of appropriate size [1]. In this work, various dyeing conditions (times and concentrations) were applied to a MFI zeolite membrane in an attempt to investigate the defective structure. Furthermore, the quantitative analysis is practiced to measure the defects in numerical form.

Defects of zeolite membranes often lower their separation performance. Thus, the investigation of the defects is highly critical in achieving high separation performance. While general characterization methods (e.g. scanning electron microscopy; SEM) that examine the membrane surface cannot detect defects, the FCOM measurement is able to identify the defective structure inside the zeolite membrane using dye molecules of appropriate size [1]. In this work, various dyeing conditions (times and concentrations) were applied to a MFI zeolite membrane in an attempt to investigate the defective structure. Furthermore, the quantitative analysis is practiced to measure the defects in numerical form.

레이저 주사 공초점 현미경은 비접촉, 비파괴적인 방법으로 수백 ㎚ 크기의 물질의 이미지를 관찰할 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 공초점 현미경을 이용하여 V₂O5 박막의 표면에 성장된 수백 ㎚ 크기의 나노로드를 관찰하였으며, 공초점 현미경의 파장 의존성을 확인하기 위해 동일한 위치에 대해 짧은 파장대인 405 ㎚와 긴 파장대의 633 ㎚의 레이저 광원을 사용하여 이미지를 구현하였다. 실험결과, 긴 파장인 633㎚의 광원을 사용한 이미지에서는 번짐 현상이 심해져 명암대비가 작아지고 나노로드의 경계를 명확하게 분해하지 못하였지만, 짧은 파장인 405 ㎚의 광원을 사용하면 명암대비가 커지고 나노로드의 이미지를 명확하게 분해할 수 있었다. 따라서 짧은 파장의 광원을 사용한 공초점 현미경은 주사전자현미경(SEM)을 대신한 새로운 나노구조의 측정방법으로 이용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

In the field of reproductive medicine, assessment of sperm motility is a key factor for achieving successful artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, or intracellular sperm injection. In this study, the motility of boar sperms was estimated using real-time imaging via confocal microscopy. To confirm this confocal imaging method, flagellar beats and whiplash- like movement angles were compared between fresh and low-temperature-preserved (17℃ for 24 h) porcine sperms. Low-temperature preservation reduced the number of flagellar beats from 11.0±2.3 beats/s (fresh sperm) to 5.7±1.8 beats/s and increased the flagellar bending angle from 19.8°±13.8° (fresh) to 30.6°±15.6°. These data suggest that sperm activity can be assessed using confocal microscopy. The observed motility patterns could be used to develop a sperm evaluation index and automated confocal microscopic sperm motility analysis techniques.