• Composites Research
• /
• 제36권6호
• /
• pp.402-407
• /
• 2023

Activated carbon fibers (ACFs) are fibrous form of activated carbon (AC) with higher mechanical strength and flexibility, which make them suitable for building modules for applications including directional gas flow such as air and gas purification. Similarly, ACFs are anticipated to excel in the efficient capture of CO₂. However, due to the difficulties in fabricating monofilament carbon fibers at a laboratory scale, most of the studies regarding ACFs for CO₂ capture have relied on electrospun carbon fibers. In this study, we fabricated monofilament carbon fibers from PAN-based monofilament precursors by stabilization and carbonization. Then, ACFs were successfully prepared by chemical activation using KOH. Different weight ratios ranging from 1:1 to 1:4 were employed in the fabrication of ACFs, and the samples were designated as ACF-1 to ACF-4, respectively. As a function of KOH ratio, increase in surface area could be observed. However, the CO₂ adsorption trend did not follow the surface area trend, and the ACF-3 with second largest surface area exhibited the highest CO₂ adsorption capacity. To understand the phenomena, nitrogen content and ultramicropore distribution, which are important factors determining CO₂ adsorption capacity, were considered. As a result, while nitrogen content could not explain the phenomena, ultramicropore distribution could provide a reasoning that the excessive etching led ACF-4 to develop micropore structure with a broader distribution, resulting in high surface area yet deteriorated CO₂ adsorption.

• Carbon letters
• /
• 제15권1호
• /
• pp.1-14
• /
• 2014

Carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with diameters in the submicron and nanometer range exhibit high specific surface area, hierarchically porous structure, flexibility, and super strength which allow them to be used in the electrode materials of energy storage devices, and as hybrid-type filler in carbon fiber reinforced plastics and bone tissue scaffold. Unlike catalytic synthesis and other methods, electrospinning of various polymeric precursors followed by stabilization and carbonization has become a straightforward and convenient way to fabricate continuous CNFs. This paper is a comprehensive and brief review on the latest advances made in the development of electrospun CNFs with major focus on the promising applications accomplished by appropriately regulating the microstructural, mechanical, and electrical properties of as-spun CNFs. Additionally, the article describes the various strategies to make a variety of carbon CNFs for energy conversion and storage, catalysis, sensor, adsorption/separation, and biomedical applications. It is envisioned that electrospun CNFs will be the key materials of green science and technology through close collaborations with carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes.

• 공업화학
• /
• 제27권5호
• /
• pp.472-477
• /
• 2016

본 연구에서는 전류밀도 변화에 따른 탄소섬유의 양극산화 처리가 탄소섬유 표면과 탄소섬유 강화 복합재료의 기계적 계면결합력에 미치는 영향을 고찰하였다. 양극산화 처리된 탄소섬유 표면 특성은 원자간력 현미경(Atomic force microscope, AFM)과 전계방사형 주사전자현미경(Field emission-scanning electron microscope, FE-SEM), 적외선 분광법(Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, FT-IR) 및 X선 광전자 분광법(X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, XPS)으로 분석하였으며, Short beam 전단시험을 통해 표면처리에 따른 탄소섬유 강화 복합재료의 계면 전단강도를 측정하였다. 실험 결과 전류밀도가 증가함에 따라 탄소섬유 표면의 거칠기와 산소관능기의 함량의 증가와, 탄소섬유 강화 복합재료의 층간전단강도(Interlaminar shear strength, ILSS)의 향상 및 페놀릭 하이드록실 그룹과의 비례관계를 확인하였다. CF-2.0 시편의 층간전단강도는 87.9 MPa로 CF-AS 시편에 비해 약 4% 증가하였는데, 이러한 결과는 양극산화 처리가 산소관능기와 탄소섬유 표면 거칠기의 증가를 유도하여 탄소섬유와 수지의 계면 결합력이 증가된 것으로 판단된다. 그중 층간전단강도와 비례관계인 페놀릭 하이드록실 그룹은 탄소섬유 강화 복합재료의 계면결합력을 향상시키는 중요한 요소라 판단된다.

• Carbon letters
• /
• 제5권2호
• /
• pp.51-54
• /
• 2004

Isotropic pitch-based carbon fiber was isothermally activated in $CO_2$ atmosphere. Structural parameters of the isotropic carbon fibers and activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were evaluated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The $d_{002}$ and La of the carbon fibers were measured to be 4.04 ${\AA}$ and 23.6 ${\AA}$ and those of ACFs were 4.29 ${\AA}$ and 22.7 ${\AA}$, respectively, representing less ordered through activation process. The pores in the ACFs were characterized by BET, and they showed super-high specific surface area of maximum value 3,495 $m^2/g$ from average pore size of 8.3 ${\AA}$ at 59% burn-off. It was recognized that 8-9 ${\AA}$ was optimum range of pore size for efficient creation of high specific surface area. The average size of the pores formed at higher temperature ($1100^{\circ}C$) was larger than that of the pores formed at lower temperature ($900^{\circ}C$).

• 공업화학
• /
• 제25권2호
• /
• pp.193-197
• /
• 2014

피치계 활성탄소섬유의 유해가스 감응특성을 알아보고자 피치계 활성탄소섬유와 폴리비닐알코올(PVA)을 이용하여 가스센서용 전극을 제조하였다. 제조된 가스센서용 활성탄소섬유 전극의 물리화학적 특성은 주사전자현미경(SEM) 및 비표면적 측정기(BET)를 이용하여 분석하였다. 또한, 전극의 유해가스 감응특성은 $NH_3$, NO 및 $CO_2$와 같은 여러 유독가스를 이용하여 확인하였다. 가스센서용 활성탄소섬유 전극의 비표면적은 바인더인 PVA에 의하여 활성탄소섬유보다 33% 감소하였지만, 전극의 기공크기분포는 PVA에 의하여 크게 영향을 받지 않았다. 가스센서용 활성탄소섬유 전극은 반도체 기반 가스센서와는 다르게 전자도약에 의해서 유해가스를 감응하였다. 본 연구에서, 활성탄소섬유 전극의 저항은 100 ppm의 $NH_3$ 유해가스에 대하여 7.5% 감소하였으며, 그 $NH_3$ 가스 감응특성이 다른 유해가스보다 뛰어남을 확인하였다.

• Carbon letters
• /
• 제19권
• /
• pp.89-98
• /
• 2016

Taguchi’s experimental design was employed in the melt spinning of molten mesophase pitch to produce carbon fibers. The textures of the obtained carbon fibers were radial with varied crack angles, as observed by scanning electron microscopy and polarized optical imaging. The diameter, crack angle, preferred orientation, and tensile modulus of the produced samples were examined to investigate the influence of four spinning variables. The relative importance of the variables has been emphasized for each characteristic. The results show that thicker carbon fiber can be obtained with a smaller entry angle, a higher spinning temperature, a reduced winding speed, and an increased extrusion pressure. The winding speed was found to be the most significant factor in relation to the fiber diameter. While it was observed that thicker carbon fiber generally shows improved preferred orientation, the most important variable affecting the preferred orientation was found to be the entry angle. As the entry angle decreased from 120° to 60°, the shear flow was enhanced to induce more ordered radial alignment of crystallite planes so as to obtain carbon fibers with a higher degree of preferred orientation. As a consequence, the crack angle was increased, and the tensile modulus was improved.

• 한국철도학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국철도학회 2008년도 추계학술대회 논문집
• /
• pp.406-415
• /
• 2008

Recently, the amount of thermosetting plastic wastes have increased with the production of reinforced plastic composites and causes serious environmental problems. The epoxy composites, one of the versatile thermosetting plastics with excellent properties, cannot be melted down and remolded as what is done in the thermoplastic industry. In this research, a series of experiments that recovers carbon fibers from carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites for train body was performed. We experimentally examined various decomposition processes and compared their decomposition efficiencies and mechanical property of recovered carbon fibers. For the prevention of tangle of recovered carbon fibers, each composites specimen was fixed with a Teflon supporter and no mechanical mixing was applied. Decomposition products were analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), gas chromatography mass spectrometer (GC-MS), and universal testing machine (UTM). Carbon fibers could be completely recovered from decomposition process using nitric acid aqueous solution, liquid-phase thermal cracking and pyrolysis. The tensile strength losses of the recovered carbon fibers were less than 4%.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• 제31권2호
• /
• pp.335-338
• /
• 2010

In this study, the atmospheric plasma treatment with $He/O_2$ was conducted to modify the surface chemistry of carbon fibers. The effects of plasma treatment parameters on the surface energetics of carbon fibers were experimentally investigated with respect to gas flow ratio, power intensity, and treatment time. Surface characteristics of the carbon fibers were determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Zeta-potential, and contact angle measurements. The results indicated that oxygen plasma treatment led to a large amount of reactive functional groups onto the fiber surface, and these groups can form together as physical intermolecular bonding to improve the surface wettability with a hydrophilic polymer matrix.

• 한국세라믹학회지
• /
• 제36권6호
• /
• pp.577-582
• /
• 1999

Activated carbon fibers were prepared from stabilized PAN fibers by chemical activation using hydroxide. The variations in specific surface area amount of iodine adsorption micro-structure and pore size distribution in the activated carbon fibers after the activation process were discussed. In the chemical activation using potassium hydroxide specific surface area of about 2545m2/g and amount of iodine adsorption of 2049 mg/g were obtained at the condition of KOH/fiber ratio of 1 and 800$^{\circ}C$ Nitrogen adsorption isotherms for PAN based activated carbon fibers showed the type I in the Brunauer-Deming-Deming-Teller classification indicating the micro-pores consisting the activated fibers.

• Carbon letters
• /
• 제9권2호
• /
• pp.127-130
• /
• 2008

This study aims to find a correlation between XRD and Raman result of the activated carbon fibers as a function of its activation degrees. La of the isotropic carbon fiber prepared by oxidation in carbon dioxide gas have been observed using laser Raman spectroscopy. The basic structural parameters of the fibers were evaluated by XRD as well, and compared with Raman result. The La of the carbon fibers were measured to be 25.5 ${\AA}$ from Raman analysis and 23.6 ${\AA}$ from XRD analysis. La of the ACFs were 23.6 ${\AA}$ and 20.4 ${\AA}$, respectively, representing less ordered through activation process. It seems that the $I_D/I_G$ of Raman spectra were related to crystallite size(La). Raman spectroscopy has demonstrated its unique ability to detect structural changes during the activation of the fibers. There was good correlation between the La value obtained from Raman and XRD.