10년 동안 경남 진주에서 수행된 야외 노출 시험은 실외 접지 환경(H4)에서 Alkaline Copper Quaternary(ACQ)로 방부 처리된 화이트 스프루스 (Picea glauca)의 사용 가능성을 보여주었으나, 10년이 경과하면서 일부 목재 시편에서 목재 부후균에 의한 가해가 관찰되었다. 부후 원인을 종합적으로 평가하기 위해 야외 노출 시험을 종료한 후 목재 시편들의 부후 상태를 조사하였으며 또한 목재 시편 내 방부제 유효 성분의 보유량 및 침윤도를 측정하였다. 스프루스 방부목의 약제 보유량은 국내 방부목 품질 기준(보유량: 5.2kg/m3 이상)을 충족하였으며, 변재 부위는 대부분 균일한 방부 처리를 보였다. 그러나 심재의 경우 자상 처리에도 불구하고 국내 방부목 품질 기준에서 규정하고 있는 최소 침윤 깊이인 8 mm를 충족하지 못하였다. 대부분의 목재 부후는 할렬의 발생에 의해 방부 처리되지 않은 심재의 미처리 부위가 노출됨에 의해 발생하였으며, 토양과 접한 지접부에서 할렬 발생이 다른 부위에 비해 상대적으로 많았는데, 이는 지상부나 지하부에 비해 수분의 이동이 용이하여 목재의 수축과 팽창 발생이 용이하기 때문인 것으로 판단된다. 이상의 결과로부터 H4에서 스프루스 방부목은 자상 처리를 하더라도 방부제가 깊이 침투되지 않는 심재의 특성 때문에 10년 이상의 사용 안전성을 요구하는 산업적인 용도로는 적합하지 않다고 할 수 있다.

탄소 섬유 강화 플라스틱(CFRP) 복합재는 높은 인장 강도, 강성, 내식성 및 경량 특성으로 인해 콘크리트 부재의 내부 보강 재로 점점 더 선호되고 있다. 그러나 많은 구조물들이 수명 동안 부식성 환경에 노출되어 CFRP 복합재의 내구성을 저해할 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 ASTM D7705 표준의 가속 시험 프로토콜에 따라 CFRP 그리드를 60°C의 알칼리 및 산성 용액에 침지하여 가혹한 환 경에 노출시켰다. 실험은 인장 시험, 무게 변화 분석. 및 주사 전자 현미경(SEM)을 포함하여 재료의 열화를 평가하였다. 실험 결과, CFRP 그리드는 알칼리 환경보다 산성 환경에서 더 우수한 저항성을 나타냈다. 알칼리 환경에서는 수지 열화의 영향을 크게 받았으나, 산성 환경에서는 180일 동안 약 1.58%의 인장 강도 감소만을 보였다.

Ethanol production from various agricultural and forest residues has been widely researched, but there is limited information available on the use of mixed hardwood for ethanol production. The main objective of this study is to assess the impact of time on the steam explosion pretreatment of waste wood (mixed hardwood) and to determine the convenience of a delignification step with respect to the susceptibility to enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulose residue and the recoveries of both cellulose and hemicellulosic sugars. Delignification did enhance enzymatic hydrolysis yields of steam exploded waste wood. For steam explosion pretreatment times of 3 and 5 min, the recovery yield of hemicellulosic-derived sugars decreased. The effective hemicellulose solubilization does not always result in high recoveries of hemicellulose-derived sugars in the liquid fractions due to sugar degradation. In the steam explosion pretreatment times of 3 and 5 min, where hemicellulose solubilization exceeded 95%, but sugar recoveries in the liquid fraction remained below 30%. Cellulose to glucose yield losses were less significant than hemicellulosic-sugar losses, with a maximum loss of 24% at 5 min. Up to 80% of the lignin in the original wood was solubilized, leaving a cellulose-rich residue that led to a concentrated cellulose to glucose yield solution (about 50 g/L after 72 h enzymatic hydrolysis in the best case). The maximum overall process yield, taking into account both sugars present in the liquid from steam explosion pretreatment and cellulose to glucose yield from the steam exploded, delignified and hydrolyzed solid was obtained at the lowest steam explosion pretreatment time assayed.

A series of ZIF-67-C-IL catalysts were prepared using ZIF-67 and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl] imide ([ BMIM]NTf2) ionic liquid as precursors. The structure of the catalysts was characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM and XPS. The catalytic performance of the catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was evaluated in a three-electrode system. The results confirmed that the high-temperature treatment of the precursors resulted in the formation of N, S codoped carbon-encapsulated Co9S8 nanoparticles. To create N, S co-doped carbon coated Co9S8 nanoparticle catalysts, ionic liquids are used as sulfur and nitrogen sources. The catalytic activity of ORR can be improved using N, S co-doped carbon to prevent the aggregation of Co9S8 nanoparticles. Graphitized and N, S co-doped carbon shells are optimal for achieving high activity stability. Optimal 600-ZIF-67-C(1:1.5)-30IL catalytic activity was observed for ORR. The half-wave potential of ORR was 0.88 V vs. RHE in 0.1 mol L− 1 KOH, with a limit current density of 4.70 mA cm− 2. Similar ORR electrocatalytic activity was observed between this catalyst and commercial Pt/C (20 wt%).

In this study, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesised using green chemistry to decorate multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) made from walnut shells transmission electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy and fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy were used to diagnose MWCNTs and AuNPs. MWCNT-COOAu, MWCNT-COO and MWCNT-Au were diagnosed by Raman, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and FESEM. The effect of AuNPs, MWCNT-COO, MWCNT-COOAu and MWCNT-Au on pure and serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) enzyme activity was studied in vitro using the enzyme-substrate 4-nitrophenyl disodium orthophosphate. For pure enzymes, Vmax slightly increased as the concentration of MWCNT-Au, MWCNT-COOAu and MWCNTCOO increased, whereas the Vmax values decreased as the concentration of AuNPs increased. The inhibition type for all NPs varied. For serum ALP enzyme, the Vmax values for Au-based NPs decreased as the concentration of NPs increased. The Vmax values exceeded the standard value at the concentrations of 25, 50 and 75 ppm for MWCNT-Au and MWCNT-COOAu, whereas the Vmax values increased over the standard value for all concentrations of AuNPs.

The volatilization of alkali ions in (K,Na)NbO3 (KNN) ceramics was inhibited by doping them with alkaline earth metal ions. In addition, the grain growth behavior changed significantly as the sintering duration (ts) increased. At 1,100 °C, the volatilization of alkali ions in KNN ceramics was more suppressed when doped with alkaline earth metal ions with smaller ionic size. A Ca2+-doped KNN specimen with the least alkali ion volatilization exhibited a microstructure in which grain growth was completely suppressed, even under long-term sintering for ts = 30 h. The grain growth in Sr2+-doped and Ba2+-doped KNN specimens was suppressed until ts = 10 h. However, at ts = 30 h, a heterogeneous microstructure with abnormal grains and small-sized matrix grains was observed. The size and number of abnormal grains and size distribution of matrix grains were considerably different between the Sr2+-doped and Ba2+-doped specimens. This microstructural diversity in KNN ceramics could be explained in terms of the crystal growth driving force required for two-dimensional nucleation, which was directly related to the number of vacancies in the material.