This study investigated the photosynthetic responses of the CAM ornamental plant Schlumbergera truncata ‘Pink Dew’ under low-temperature greenhouse conditions to evaluate the potential for energy-saving cultivation. Greenhouse production requires substantial energy for heating, and reducing temperature is a possible strategy to save energy. However, low temperatures can suppress photosynthesis and plant growth. CAM plants, which absorb CO2 mainly at night, may respond differently to temperature, making it important to determine temperature ranges that maintain carbon assimilation while reducing energy use. Plants were grown in a greenhouse at average temperatures of 15/11°C (January, early flowering) and 21/12°C (March, late flowering). Gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm), and growth characteristics were measured, with comparisons made between top and second phylloclades. Results showed that during the early-flowering period, total net CO2 uptake was negative, indicating suppressed carbon assimilation under low temperature. During the late-flowering period, net CO2 uptake became positive, suggesting recovery of photosynthetic activity as temperatures increased. The second phylloclades generally exhibited higher CO2 uptake than the top phylloclades. The maximum quantum yield of PSII (Fv/Fm) increased from early to late flowering but remained below optimal values, indicating that plants experienced low temperature stress but maintained moderate photosynthetic function, suggesting some degree of acclimation. Morphological observations showed phylloclade discoloration and occasional lesions, which were consistent with symptoms of cold stress, although plants continued to grow and produce flower buds. Overall, the results indicate that low temperatures below the optimal range can suppress photosynthesis in S. truncata, but the plants retain a capacity for acclimation and recovery. These findings contribute to understanding the temperature sensitivity of CAM photosynthesis and may help define energy-saving temperature strategies in greenhouse cultivation.

Amorphous WO3 ･H2O films were fabricated via spin-coating of a WOCl4 solution at a low temperature of 80 °C, and the influence of gas atmosphere during film formation on electrochromic (EC) performances was systematically investigated. The films prepared under an Ar atmosphere exhibited a relatively porous morphology compared to those formed under air, which showed a more uniform and compact surface structure. These morphological differences significantly affected charge transport and electrochemical behavior. In particular, the films formed under air demonstrated enhanced electrical conductivity and faster ion transport due to the formation of a uniform surface morphology, leading to superior response speed and coloration efficiency. In contrast, films formed in the Ar atmosphere suppressed partial crystallization of WO3, thereby increasing the amorphous WO3 ･H2O fraction with abundant oxygen bonding sites that act as electrochemically active sites. This characteristic enabled a wider optical modulation during coloration. These results indicate that processing gas-atmospherecontrolled amorphous WO3 ･H2O films at low-temperature is an effective strategy for improving EC performance and expanding their applicability to flexible devices and energy-efficient smart window technologies.

Medium- and low-temperature coal tar pitch can be prepared as coal-based mesophase pitch for its high value-added utilization. However, its lower aromaticity and higher content of heteroatoms (especially O atoms) led to a higher content of the resulting mesophase pitch mosaic structure. In this study, mesophase pitch was prepared by co-carbonization of high aromaticity, low oxygen content high-temperature refined pitch (RHCTP) with medium- and low-temperature coal tar refined pitch (RCTP). The impact of various blending ratios on the optical and microcrystalline structures of mesophase pitch was analyzed using polarized light microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. The addition of RHCTP to modify RCTP significantly enhanced the optical and microcrystalline structures of the co-carbonized products. The optimal blending ratio (R-25%) was obtained. Needle coke prepared from mesophase pitch obtained from R-25% had superior fine fiber structure, lowest average resistivity (157.37 μΩ·m) and high true density (2.125 g/cm3). The thermal conversion behavior of the blended refined pitch during co-carbonation was analyzed using thermogravimetric data of the R-25% sample through four isoconversion methods. The thermal conversion of the R-25% sample occurs in three stages: the first stage follows the Parabola law model, while the second and third stages adhere to the random nucleation and nuclei growth model. This analysis of thermal conversion kinetics offers theoretical insights for optimizing mesophase pitch preparation process conditions and reactor design.

Recent advancements in 2D graphene materials highlight their versatile applications in electronics, clean energy, medicine, and other fields due to their exceptional properties and ease of fabrication. The current study investigates the preparation of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) through the thermal exfoliation of graphite oxide under an air atmosphere at varying temperatures (200–500 °C) and further examines its suitability as an anode for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. The extent of reduction of functional groups, exfoliation, and other physical changes is analyzed by XRD, SEM, XPS, BET, and Raman studies, which show that the reduction of functional groups and surface area increases with increasing exfoliation temperature. The RGO electrodes are subjected to electrochemical studies, including cyclic voltammetry and charge–discharge cycling at various current densities, which demonstrate varying discharge capacities for RGO samples prepared at different temperatures. The RGO exfoliated at 400 °C delivered the maximum capacity, indicating that this temperature is optimal for the thermal preparation of RGO. This material shows potential for use as an anode in Li-ion batteries.

Raw milk contains various microorganisms, necessitating effective sterilization for food safety. As traditional methods of using impellers and magnetic bars in round-bottom flasks remain inefficient and time-consuming, we developed and validated a lowtemperature pasteurization technique using a Taylor vortex mixer. In this study, we analyzed raw milk pasteurization efficacy and rancidity and compared the results with those obtained using different types of mixing systems, such as Taylor vortex and conventional mixers. During the experiments, the sterilization temperature and time were varied to measure milk sample acidity via acid-base titration for the quantitative assessment of rancidity and sterilization effects. We assessed microbial survival through specific culture media. The Taylor vortex system demonstrated superior sterilization efficiency with minimal rancidity, which was attributed to its high thermal and mass transfer efficiencies. In summary, we established the Taylor vortex mixer as an effective and quality-preserving alternative for raw milk pasteurization, highlighting its potential use in the food industry.

Interest in high-permittivity dielectric materials suitable for classical systems has been increasing, and competition for commercial applications continues. However, despite the development of such dielectric materials, additional compositional improvements are still required to achieve low-temperature sintering that would allow co-firing with Cu internal electrodes in multilayer structures, and research in this area remains insufficient. In this study, we aimed to optimize a low-temperature sintering composition based on Pb0.94La0.06(Zr0.83Ti0.17)O3, which, in preliminary experiments, exhibited a dielectric constant above 1,300 at sintering temperatures exceeding 1300 °C. As the amount of Na ion addition increased, low-temperature sintering was effectively promoted. However, the dielectric constant simultaneously decreased. When K ions were further added to the Lead Lanthanum Zirconate Titanate (PLZT)+Na composition, the low-temperature sintering properties were maintained or improved, and the dielectric constant increased compared with Na-only addition. To precisely readjust the MPB region under the influence of large additive content, the Zr ion fraction was varied from 0.84 to 0.92. Within this range, the MPB composition was found to shift slightly as the Zr content increased. As a result, the optimal composition among the PLZT ceramics sintered at 950 °C was determined to be Zr 0.86, which exhibited a dielectric constant of approximately 900 and an energy storage density of about 2 J/cm3. These findings suggest that such a composition could be applicable for low-temperature co-firing with Cu electrodes in Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitors (MLCCs) for classical systems.

In this study, anatase TiO2 nano sol (TNS, TiO2 Nano-Sol) was synthesized via a simple sol-gel method under low-temperature and ambient pressure conditions using TiOCl2 as a precursor. The structural and photocatalytic properties of the TNS were systematically investigated as a function of reaction time. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the formation of the anatase crystal structure as the reaction time increased, while field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses verified the uniform formation of fine anatase nanoparticles, averaging less than 10 nm in size. The synthesized TNS sol enabled the fabrication of transparent TiO2 coatings that retained over 76 % transmittance in the visible light range, as verified by UV-Vis spectroscopy. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated through methylene blue (MB) degradation experiments, which showed that degradation efficiency was enhanced with longer reaction times. Notably, the TNS-48 exhibited superior photocatalytic degradation performance, being approximately three times higher than that of TNS-1 and about twice that of the commercial P25. This study demonstrates that the TNS sol synthesized through a simple sol-gel process can achieve high transparency and excellent photocatalytic properties without requiring hightemperature and high-pressure synthesis. It is expected to be applicable in various photocatalytic fields, such as functional coatings and electrode materials.

본 연구는 전국에서 일조시간이 가장 짧은 제주 동부지역의 저온기에 토마토 수경재배 온실의 광량, 습공기 및 근권 온도 특성을 분석하여 저온기의 저일조 조건에서 안정적인 과채류 생산을 위한 방안을 제언하고자 수행하였다. 본 실험은 제주 시 구좌읍 김녕리 PO 필름 단동형 복합환경제어 온실에서 2022년 10월 30일－2023년 1월 31일, 2024년 11월－2025년 1월까지 2회 실시하였다. 온실 내부에 100W·m-2 이상의 광량 이 도달하는 시간은 2022－2023년의 경우 11월(9시, 114W)> 12월(10시, 110W)> 1월(11시, 104W) 순으로 1월에 11시로 가장 늦었으며, 2024－2025년의 경우 11월(10시, 107W), 12월(10시, 90W), 1월(10시, 104W)이 유사하였다. 일평균 누적광량은 850J·cm-2·day-1 수준 이상으로 측정된 날수가 2022년 11월, 12월과 2023년 1월에 각각 12, 6, 9일이었고, 2024년에는 각각 12, 9, 13일로 심각한 저일조 환경임을 알 수 있었다. 본 연구에서 2023년과 2025년 1월의 VPD 범위는 각 각 5.4－8.8mbar, 5.7－9.8mba로 적정 수준으로 유지되었으 며 증산율은 VPD가 2.5배 낮아짐에 따라 Tr 값이 2배 감소하 였다. 배지 온도는 2023년 1월에 일출 후 시간당 0.2－ 0.6℃씩 증가하여 16℃로 가장 높았다. 온실 내·외부 CO2 농 도차(Ci-Co)는 CO2 시비를 하지 않았을 경우 맑은날은 － 84μmol·mol-1(10시), 흐린 날도 0.2μmol·mol-1(14시) 수준 을 보였다. 본 연구를 종합하여 볼 때, 저온기의 저일조 환경에 서 광량 부족으로 인한 낮은 근권 온도와 CO2 농도가 작물의 광합성과 생장에 제한 요인이 될 수 있음을 시사하고 이를 극 복하기 위한 기술적 대안이 필요하다고 판단된다.

저온기 엽채류 생산시 저온, 저광 등으로 인해 생육 저하 및 수량 감소가 발생한다. 저온기 근권부 가온을 통해 지상부 저 온 스트레스를 경감하고 생육 및 수량을 개선할 수 있다. 최근 루꼴라, 고수, 바질, 공심채 등 향신채소의 국내 수요가 증가하 면서, 연중 생산의 필요성이 증가하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 양 액 가온을 통한 근권부 온도 제어 효과와 지상부 생육 및 수량 에 미치는 영향을 구명하고자 수행하였다. 저온기 경남 함안 에 위치한 유리 온실에서 실험을 실시하였으며, 루꼴라, 고수, 바질, 공심채를 분무경베드에 정식하여 무처리 대조구와 양 액 가온 설정온도별 처리구(NSH20, NSH25, NSH30)를 설 정하였다. 양액 조성은 PBG 엽채류 조성을 따랐으며 재배기 간 동안 폐기 없이 표준 양액(EC 1.8, pH 5.5)으로 보충하여 사용하였다. 양액의 특성 및 이온 농도는 약 3일 간격으로 분 석하였으며, 작물의 생육 및 수확 조사는 각각 정식후 2주와 4 주차에 수행하였다. 재배 기간 동안 온실 내부의 일일 최저, 평균, 최고 온도는 각각 13.75℃, 18.66℃, 30.08℃였으며, 재 배 기간 중 온실 내 최저 온도는 9.97℃였다. 대조구의 근권부 온도는 최저 13.35℃, 평균 17.17℃로 근권부 저온으로 인한 뿌리 생육 저하, 지상부 생육 감소를 유발할 수 있다. 설정 온 도별 가온 양액을 공급한 경우 근권부 평균 온도는 NSH30는 24.61℃, NSH25는 21.41℃, NSH20는 18.62℃였다. 호냉 성 작목인 루꼴라와 고수는 근권부 온도에 따른 생육 및 수량 변화가 확인되지 않았다. 반면 호온성 작목인 바질과 공심채 는 양액 가온을 통한 근권부 온도 제어시 생육 및 수량 개선이 확인되었다. 바질은 NSH25와 NSH30 처리구에서 유사한 생 육 및 수량 개선 효과가 확인되었으며, 에너지 효율성을 고려 했을 때 양액 가온 온도를 25℃로 설정하는 것이 더 경제적인 근권부 온도 관리 방안이 될 것으로 생각된다. 반면 공심채는 NSH30에서 수량이 대조구 대비 107%, NSH25 대비 60% 증 가한 것으로 보아 양액 가온 설정 온도를 높게 유지하는 것이 적합할 것으로 생각된다.

Coal pitch mainly consists of aromatic hydrocarbons, phenolic substances, and aliphatic hydrocarbons, the macromolecular structures formed by these cyclic and chain hydrocarbons through chemical bonding possess diversity and complexity. In this study, medium- and low-temperature coal tar pitch (LCTP) served as the primary material for the production of mesophase pitch via co-carbonization with hydrogenated tail oil (HTO). Aimed to clarify the effects of different amounts of HTO addition and analyze the mechanism of introducing naphthenic and aromatic hydrocarbons on the liquid phase carbonization process. When HTO additive amount is 30%, the carbonized product with the largest content of mature graphite crystals at 25.01%, and the smallest degree of defects. The analytical mechanism demonstrates that the condensation of naphthenic hydrocarbons introduced by HTO produces hydrogen radicals, the hydrogen transfer reaction saturates a significant quantity of free radicals generated within the system, thereby impeding further rapid condensation and curing, and decreasing the viscosity of the system. On the other hand, the aromatic hydrocarbons introduced undergo dehydrogenation and condensation to produce additional polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, thereby contributing to a more abundant carbon structure conducive to the development of mesophase pitch. The combined effect of aromatic hydrocarbons and naphthenic hydrocarbons facilitates the slow development of the mesophase structure into a broad-area optical structure. This study provides an effective method for improving the performance of coal-based mesophase pitch, which reduces the production cost and promotes the clean and high value-added utilization of limited resources.

The structure and composition of coal tar pitch are critical in the production of superior needle coke. We used high-temperature refined coal tar pitch (HRCTP) to modify medium–low-temperature refined coal tar pitch (MLRCTP) for needle coke preparation. Various characterization techniques were applied to evaluate the effects of the HRCTP addition on the MLRCTP's structure and composition, and to investigate the microstructural and crystallographic differences in needle coke from different feedstocks. We identified the optimal HRCTP addition level and assessed how carbonization reaction conditions influenced needle coke quality. The findings indicated that HRCTP addition increased the aromatic hydrocarbons content while reducing the heterocyclic compounds and excess alkanes, leading to enhanced structure and composition, which supported the structured development of carbon-based structures during the thermal polycondensation process. Notably, higher HRCTP amounts did not equate to better outcomes. With a 25% HRCTP additive level, the needle coke’s microstructure showed a highly ordered fibrous texture with optimal orientation, the greatest degree of graphitization, and a mature graphite crystal content of 24.84%. Further optimization of the carbonization process demonstrated that very high temperatures might cause the formation of numerous mosaic structures due to disordered radical cross-linking. Properly reducing pressure at high temperatures could promote adequate directional airflow and apply shear force during orderly stacking of the mesophase, thus enhancing the carbon lamellae’s streamline and orientation. Following the carbonization process optimization, the mature graphite crystal content in the needle coke increased from 24.84% to 39.87%.

This study investigated the ultra-low-temperature (4.2 K) tensile properties and deformation mechanisms of stainless steel 304L manufactured via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The tensile properties of LPBF 304L were compared to those of conventional 304L to assess its suitability for cryogenic applications. The results revealed that LPBF 304L exhibited a significantly higher yield strength but lower ultimate tensile strength and elongation than conventional 304L at 4.2 K. The temperature dependence of the yield strength also favored LPBF 304L. Microstructural analysis demonstrated that LPBF 304L features a high density of dislocation cells and nano-inclusions, contributing to its greater strength. Furthermore, strain-induced martensitic transformation was observed as a key deformation mechanism at cryogenic temperatures, where austenite transformed into both hexagonal-closed packed (HCP) and body-centered cubic (BCC) martensite. Notably, BCC martensite nucleation occurred within a single HCP band. These findings provide critical insights into the mechanical behavior of LPBF 304L at cryogenic temperatures and its potential for applications in extreme environments.

본 연구에서는 저온 스트레스에서 살리실산(SA, salicylic acid)의 경엽처리가 배추의 광합성, 생리활성 및 생육에 미치는 영향을 구명하고자 하였다. SA을 각각 0.25, 0.5 및 1mM 농도로 주당 100mL을 4일 간격으로 3회 엽면 살포하였고, 7일간 저온 스트레스를 처리하였다. SA 처리 시 광합성 속도, 기공전도도, 세포 내 CO2 농도 및 증산 속도는 무처리 대비 증 가하였고, 2회 처리 후 가장 높았다. MDA 함량은 무처리 대 비 유의한 차이를 보이며 감소하였다. APX, CAT, POD 및 SOD 활성은 무처리 대비 현저하게 증가하였으며, 각각 최대 62, 81, 55 및 26% 증가하였다. 배추의 생육 특성은 무처리와 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았으나, 수량 지수는 2－6% 정도 증 가하였다. 따라서 SA의 경엽처리는 배추의 생육, 광합성 특성 및 항산화 효소 활성을 증대시켜 저온 스트레스를 완화 하였 고, 적정농도는 0.5－1mM이라 판단된다.

In this study, ester co-solvents and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) were used as low-temperature electrolyte additives to improve the formation of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on graphite anodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Four ester co-solvents, namely methyl acetate (MA), ethyl acetate, methyl propionate, and ethyl propionate, were mixed with 1.0 M LiPF6 ethylene carbonate:diethyl carbonate:dimethyl carbonate (1:1:1 by vol%) as the base electrolyte (BE). Different concentrations were used to compare the electrochemical performance of the LiCoO2/ graphite full cells. Among various ester co-solvents, the cell employing BE mixed with 30 vol% MA (BE/MA30) achieved the highest discharge capacity at − 20 °C. In contrast, mixing esters with low-molecular-weight degraded the cell performance owing to the unstable SEI formation on the graphite anodes. Therefore, FEC was added to BE/MA30 (BE/MA30-FEC5) to form a stable SEI layer on the graphite anode surface. The LiCoO2/ graphite cell using BE/MA30-FEC5 exhibited an excellent capacity of 127.3 mAh g− 1 at − 20 °C with a capacity retention of 80.6% after 100 cycles owing to the synergistic effect of MA and formation of a stable and uniform inorganic SEI layer by FEC decomposition reaction. The low-temperature electrolyte designed in this study may provide new guidelines for resolving low-temperature issues related to LIBs, graphite anodes, and SEI layers.