• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.686-692
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• 2012

Solid free-form fabrication (SFF) technology was developed to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds for tissue engineering (TE) applications. In this study, we developed a polymer deposition system (PDS) and created 3D microstructures using a bioresorbable polycaprolactone (PCL) polymer. Fabrication of 3D scaffolds by PDS requires a combination of several devices, including a heating system, dispenser, and motion controller. The system can process a polymer with extremely high precision by using a 200 ${\mu}m$ nozzle. Based on scanning electron microscope (SEM) images, both the line width and the piled line height were fine and uniform. Several 3D micro-structures, including the ANU pattern (a pattern named after Andong National University), $45^{\circ}$ pattern square, frame, cylindrical, triangular, cross-shaped, and hexagon, have been fabricated using the polymer deposition system.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.391-396
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• 2014

Polymer microneedles can be fabricated by a micromolding method, an easy and cost-effective method. However, it is not easy to achieve uniform coating with an aqueous coating solution due to hydrophobic surface of polymer microneedles. 3-Dimensional coating polymer microneedles could deliver more than twice as much dose as in-plane metal microneedles by increasing coating area and the number of microneedles per unit area. A uniform coating was not obtained by addition of coating additives in the coating solution. The satisfied coating was achieved by treatment of surface of polymer microneedle with metal deposition and UV/ozone, and UV/ozone treatment was an ultimate surface treatment method based on biological safety. Calcein coating polymer microneedles were prepared by using UV/ozone treatment and followed dip-coating, and they delivered calcein in porcine skin successfully after 15 min of insertion.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.318-323
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• 2006

We investigated the rheological behaviors and orientation of three different types of layered silicate composite systems under external flow: microcomposite, intercalated and exfoliated nanocomposites. Rheological measurements under shear and uniaxial extensional flows, two-dimensional, small-angle X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy were conducted to investigate the properties, as well as nano- and micro-structural changes, of polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites. The preferred orientation of the silicate layers to the flow direction was observed under uniaxial extensional flow for both intercalated and exfoliated systems, while the strain hardening behavior was observed only in the exfoliated systems. The degree of compatibility between the polymer matrix and clay determined the microstructure of polymer/clay composites, strain hardening behavior and spatial orientation of the clays under extensional flow.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.303-309
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• 2008

Dense and fine polymer patterns often collapse, as they come into contact with each other at their protruding tips. Resist pattern collapse depends on the aspect ratio of patterns and the surface tension of rinsing materials. The pattern collapse is a very serious problem in microfabrication, because it is one of the factors which limit the device dimensions. The reasons for the pattern collapse are known as the surface tension of rinse liquid, centrifugal force and rinse liquid flow produced in the developing process. In this work, we tried to evaluate the pattern collapse of three-dimensional microstructures that were fabricated by two-photon induced photopolymerization, and showed the way how to reduce the deformation of microstructures.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.123-130
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• 2009

This study presents the application of a polymer behavior model that considers fluid mechanics and heat transfer effects in a deposition system. The analysis of the polymer fluid properties is very important in the fabrication of precise microstructures. This fluid behavior model involves the calculation of velocity distribution and mass flow rates that include the effect of heat loss in the needle. The effectiveness of the proposed method was demonstrated by comparing estimated mass fluid rates with experimental values. The mass fluid rates under various process conditions, such as pressure, temperature, and needle size, reflected the actual deposition state relatively well, and the assumption that molten polycaprolactone(PCL) is a non-Newtonian fluid was reasonable. The successful fabrication of three-dimensional microstructures demonstrated that the model is valid for predicting the polymer behavior characteristics in the microstructure fabrication process. The results of this study can be used to investigate the effect of various parameters on fabricated structures before turning to experimental approaches.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.58 no.1
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• pp.44-56
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• 2023

Additive manufacturing (AM) or three-dimensional (3D) printing of metals has been drawing significant attention due to its reliability, usefulness, and low cost with rapid prototyping. Among the various AM technologies, fused deposition modeling (FDM) or fused filament fabrication is receiving much interest because of its simple manufacturing processing, low material waste, and cost-effective equipment. FDM technology uses metal-filled polymer filaments for 3D printing, followed by debinding and sintering to fabricate complex metal parts. An efficient binder is essential for producing polymer filaments and the thermal post-processing of printed objects. This study involved an in-depth investigation of and a fabrication route for a novel multi-component binder system with steel alloy powder (45 vol.%) ranging from filament fabrication and 3D printing to debinding and sintering. The binder system consisted of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as a binder and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and polylactic acid (PLA) as a carrier. The PVP binder held the metal components tightly by maintaining their stoichiometry, and the TPU and PLA in the ratio of 9:1 provided flexibility, stiffness, and strength to the filament for 3D printing. The efficacy of the binder system was examined by fabricating 3D-printed cubic structures. The results revealed that the thermal debinding and sintering processes effectively removed the binder/carrier from the cubic structures, resulting in isotropic shrinkage of approximately 15.8% in all directions. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) patterns displayed the microstructure behavior, phase transition, and elemental composition of the 3D cubic structure.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2000

For replacing Li metal at Lithium ion Battery(LIB) system, we used carbon powder material which prepared by Pyrolysis of Phenol resin as starting material. It became amorphous carbon by Pyrolysis through it's self condensation by thermal treatment. Amorphous carbon can be doped with Li intercalation and deintercalation because it has wide interlayer. However, it has a problem with structural destroy due to weak carbon-carbon bond. So, we used $ZnCl_2$ as the pore-forming agent. This inorganic salt was used together with the resin serves not only as the pore-forming agent to form open pores, which grow into a three-dimensional network structure in the cured material, but also as the microstructure-controlling agent to form a loose structure doped with bulky dopants. We used SEM in order to find to difference of structure, and can calculate the distance of interlayer by XRD analysis. CV test showed oxidation and reduction.