Hydrogen has been gaining a lot of attention as a possible clean energy source that can aid in reaching carbon neutrality. Currently, hydrogen production has relied on the steam reforming of fossil fuels. However, due to the carbon dioxide emissions caused by this process, hydrogen production based on the steam reforming of bio-oil derived from biomass has been proposed as an alternative approach. In order to use this alternative approach efficiently, one of the key issues that must be overcome is that the complexity of bio-oil, which has a large molecular weight and diverse functional groups of hydrocarbons, promotes the catalytic deactivation of nickel-based catalysts. In this review, research efforts to improve nickel-based catalysts for the steam reforming of bio-oil have been discussed in terms of the active phase, support, and promoters. The active phases are involved in activating C-C and C-H bonds of high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons, and noble and transition metals can be utilized. In terms of the support and promoters, the catalytic deactivation of Ni-based catalysts can be inhibited by utilizing reactive lattice oxygen for support or by suppressing the acidity. The development of active and stable Ni-based reforming catalysts plays a critical role in clean hydrogen production based on bio-oils.

Many studies have been conducted on the indiscriminate use of plastic due to the environment problems it has caused all over the world. This problem can be mitigated by using eco-friendly/biodegradable plastics that can be decomposed by microorganisms or enzymes. This study focused on addressing the plastic golf tees that are thrown away at golf courses. In order to replace conventional golf tees (ABS) with a more eco-friendly alternative, this study explored a biodegradable plastic and 3D printing method for producing golf tees. Among the biodegradable plastics, PLA (polylactic acid) was found to be a good candidate as an eco-friendly material because it is biodegradable by microorganisms. Thus, golf tees were prepared by using PLA via 3D printing, and the physical and chemical properties of the tees were evaluated. The amorphous region of PLA was confirmed through XRD. Also, FT-IR showed the unique peak of PLA without impurities. It was confirmed through an optical microscope that the specific surface area and roughness had increased. This structure plays a role in firmly fixing the golf tee when it is inserted into the ground. In addition, it was possible to improve the compressive load compared to ABS golf tees while also decreasing the compressive stretching.

Transition metal chalcogenides have garnered significant attention as anode materials for sodium-ion batteries due to their high theoretical capacity. Nevertheless, their practical application is impeded by their limited lifespan resulting from substantial volume expansion during cycling and their low electrical conductivity. To tackle these issues, this study devised a solution by synthesizing a nanostructured anode material composed of porous CNT (carbon nanotube) spheres and (Ni,Co)Se2 nanocrystals. By employing spray pyrolysis and subsequent heat treatments, a porous-structured (Ni,Co)Se2-CNT composite microsphere was successfully synthesized, and its electrochemical properties as an anode for sodium-ion batteries were evaluated. The synthesized (Ni,Co)Se2-CNT microsphere possesses a porous structure due to the nanovoids that formed as a result of the decomposition of the polystyrene (PS) nanobeads during spray pyrolysis. This porous structure can effectively accommodate the volume expansion that occurs during repeated cycling, while the CNT scaffold enhances electronic conductivity. Consequently, the (Ni,Co)Se2-CNT anode exhibited an initial discharge capacity of 698 mA h g-1 and maintained a high discharge capacity of 400 mA h g-1 after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.2 A g-1.

This study was conducted to obtain basic process simulation data before conducting pyrolysis experiments for the development of a thermochemical conversion system by recirculation of heat carrier and gases thereby. In this study, polypropylene (PP) was used as a pyrolysis sample material as an alternative to waste plastics, and fluid sand was used as a heat transfer medium in the system. Manganese (Mn) was chosen as the catalyst for the pyrolysis experiment, and the catalyst pyrolysis was performed by impregnating it in the sand. The basic properties of PP were analyzed using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), and liquid oil was generated through catalytic pyrolysis under a nitrogen atmosphere at 600℃. The carbon number distribution of the generated liquid oil was confirmed by GC/MS analysis. In this study, the effects of the presence and the amount of Mn loading on the yield of liquid oil and the distribution of hydrocarbons in the oil were investigated. When Mn/sand was used, the residue decreased and the oil yield increased compared to pyrolysis using sand alone. In addition, as the Mn loading increased, the ratio of C6~C9 range gasoline in the liquid oil gradually increased, and the distribution of diesel and heavy oil with more carbon atoms than C10 in the oil decreased. In conclusion, it was found that using Mn as a catalyst and changing the amount of Mn could increase the yield of liquid oil and increase the gasoline ratio in the product.

Biomass has been used to secure renewable energy certificates (REC) in domestic and overseas coal-fired power plants. In recent years, biofuel has been diversified from traditional wood pellets to non-woody biomass. Non-woody biomass has a higher content of alkaline metals such as K and Na than wood-based biomass, resulting in a lower melting point and an increase in slagging on boiler tubes, which reduces boiler efficiency. This study analyzed the effect of kaolin, an additive commonly used to increase melting points, on biomass co-firing to coal through thermochemical equilibrium calculations. In a previous experiment on biomass co-firing to coal conducted at 80 kWth, it was interpreted that the use of kaolin actually increased the amount of fouling. In this study, analysis showed that when kaolin was added, aluminosilicate compounds were generated due to Al2O3, which is abundant in coal, and mullite was formed. Thus, it was confirmed that the amount of slag increased when more kaolin was used. Further analysis was conducted by increasing the biomass co-firing rate from 0% to 100% at 10% intervals, and the results showed non-linear liquid slag generation. As a result, it was found that the least amount of liquid slag was generated when the biomass co-firing rate was between 50 and 60%. The phase diagram analysis showed that high melting point compounds such as leucite and feldspar were most abundantly generated under these conditions.

Ginkgo leaves are considered waste biomass and can cause problems due to the strong insecticidal actions of ginkgolide A, B, C, and J and bilobalide. However, Ginkgo leaf biomass has high organic matter content that can be converted into fuels and chemicals if suitable technologies can be developed. In this study, the effect of pyrolysis temperature, minimum fluidized velocity, and Ginkgo leaf size on product yields and product properties were systematically analyzed. Fast pyrolysis was conducted in a bubbling fluidized bed reactor at 400 to 550℃ using silica sand as a bed material. The yield of pyrolysis liquids ranged from 33.66 to 40.01 wt%. The CO2 and CO contents were relatively high compared to light hydrocarbon gases because of decarboxylation and decarbonylation during pyrolysis. The CO content increased with the pyrolysis temperature while the CO2 content decreased. When the experiment was conducted at 450℃ with a 3.0×Umf fluidized velocity and a 0.43 to 0.71 mm particle size, the yield was 40.01 wt% and there was a heating value of 30.17 MJ/kg, respectively. The production of various phenol compounds and benzene derivatives in the bio-oil, which contains the high value products, was identified using GC-MS. This study demonstrated that fast pyrolysis is very robust and can be used for converting Ginkgo leaves into fuels and thus has the potential of becoming a method for waste recycling

The amount of hydrogen adsorbed in arrays of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was studied as a function of nanotube diameter and distance between the nearest-neighbor nanotubes on square arrangements using a grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation. The influence of the geometry of a triangle array with the same diameters and distances was also studied. Hydrogen-carbon and hydrogen-hydrogen interactions were modeled with Lennard-Jones potentials for short range interactions and electrostatic interactions were added for hydrogen-hydrogen pairs to consider quantum contributions at low temperatures. At 194.5 K, Type I isotherms for large-diameter SWNTs and Type IV isotherms without hysteresis between adsorption and desorption processes for wider tube separations were observed. At 200 bars, the gravimetric hydrogen storage capacity of the SWNTs was reached or exceeded the US Department of Energy (DOE) target, but the volumetric capacity was about 70% of the DOE target. At 77 K, a two-step adsorption was observed, corresponding to a monolayer formation step followed by a condensation step. Hydrogen was adsorbed first to the inner surface of the nanotubes, then to the outer surface, intratubular space and the interstitial channels between the nanotube bundles. The simulation indicated that SWNTs of various diameters and distances in a wide range of configurations exceeded the DOE gravimetric and volumetric targets at under 1 bar

Recently, local governments have recognized river zones as leisure spaces and local festival venues, and hence, the pressure for developing these zones has increased significantly. However, given the unique functionalities of river zones and the time and costs associated with maintaining facilities and restoring damaged areas, a development plan must be selected carefully. To preserve river zones and to facilitate nature-friendly space utilization, this study focused on improving environmental impact assessment (EIA), which is an institutional implementation procedure for project plans. This study prepared a draft guide for EIA by providing an overview of the research background and survey outcomes, including the status of laws and regulations on river zones, development plans, and opinions on EIA. The results showed that because strategic EIA of basic river plans is important for district designation of river zones and the scope and direction of space utilization, it is necessary to establish a more meticulous business plan before reviewing and evaluating the mini EIA linked to the future implementation of a plan to derive a reasonable assessment. Additionally, this study provides a draft guide for EIA to evaluate the suitability of water-friendly facility construction plans considering the location characteristics and to reflect the factors that can reduce the environmental impacts during the mini EIA stage. In the future, we expect that the results of this study will serve as a foundation for establishing instructions and guides for the development of nature-friendly and water-friendly facilities in river zones during the establishment of plans.