• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.193-197
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• 2014

The electrode for gas sensor was prepared by using pitch-based activated carbon fibers and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to investigate the toxic gas sensing characteristics. The physicochemical properties of activated carbon fibers electrode for gas sensor were analyzed with SEM and BET. Toxic gases sensing property of the electrode was also identified by different toxic gases such as $NH_3$, NO and $CO_2$. The specific surface area of activated carbon fibers electrode for gas sensor was decreased by 33% owing to PVA used as a binder compared with the activated carbon fibers. However, its pore size distribution of the ACF electrode was not greatly influenced by PVA. The activated carbon fibers electrode for gas sensor responded to toxic gases by electron hopping unlike semiconductor based gas sensors. In this study, activated carbon fibers electrode was decreased to 7.5% in resistance for the NH3 gas of the 100 ppm concentration and its $NH_3$ gas sensing property was confirmed the most excellent compared with other toxic gases.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.62 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2024

To develop flexible electrode materials for wearable devices, we investigated the electrochemical characteristics of carbon fibers tow according to pretreatment. And an electrochemical non-enzymatic sensor was fabricated using glucose as a target. The carbon fibers tow was pretreated through desizing and activation processes, and activation was performed in two ways: chemical oxidation and electrochemical oxidation. Surface morphology of carbon fibers tow samples was observed by SEM and their electrochemical characteristics and sensing performance were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and chronoamperometry. Carbon fibers tow samples showed improved electrochemical properties such as reduced R_et, ΔE_p, and increased I_p through pretreatment. And similar electrochemical properties were obtained with both activation methods. We selected electrochemically activated carbon fibers tow as the final electrode material for application of electrochemical sensor. The non-enzymatic glucose sensor based on this electrode has an enhanced sensitivity of 0.744 A/mM (in a linear range of 0.09899~3.75423 mM) and 0.330 mA/mM (3.75423~50 mM), respectively. Through this study, the possibility of using carbon fibers tow was confirmed as an electrode material. It is expected to be used as basic research for development of high-performance flexible electrode materials.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.10-18
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• 2006

This article is concerned with the overview of the activated carbon fibers. Firstly, this review provides a comprehensive survey of the overall processes for the synthesis of the activated carbon fibers from the carbonaceous materials. Subsequently, the physicochemical properties such as pore structures and surface oxygen functional groups of the activated carbon fibers were discussed in detail. Finally, as electrochemical applications of the activated carbon fibers to electrode materials for electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC), the electrochemical characteristics of the activated carbon fiber electrodes and the various methods to improve the capacitance and rate capability were introduced. In particular, the effect of pore length distribution (PLD) on kinetics of double-layer charging/discharging was discussed based upon the experimental and theoretical results in our work. And then we discussed in detail the applications of the activated carbon fibers to adsorbent materials for purification of liquid and gas.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 2003

In this work, the electrode far fuel cell was fabricated by mixing carbon blacks with activated carbon fibers (ACFs) in order to form the proper three phase distribution, and then the change of electrode in three phase distribution was investigated. Pt loading yield with ACF content and Pt particle size were determined by AAS and XRD measurements, respectively. And the pore structures, including specific surface area ($S_{BET}$), microporosity, and pore size distribution (PSD) for each electrode were systematically investigated by BET volumetric measurement. The morphology of electrode in three phase distribution was determined by SEM. As an experimental result, it was observed that Pt loading yield was not influenced on the content of ACF. While, the electrode in three phase distribution was largely improved in the case of 30% ACF addition on carbon blacks. These results were probably explained by the increase of the portion of micropores, resulting in increasing the active sites of catalyst.

• Carbon letters
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 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.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.233-237
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• 2024

This study is about the fabrication of a flexible electrode based on PAN-based carbon fibers tow using organic/inorganic nanocomposite and its application of non-enzymatic sensor. The organic/inorganic nanocomposite was composed of the conductive polymer polyaniline (PANI) and the metal oxide CuO. And glucose was used as the target of the electrochemical sensor. Commercialized CFTs were pretreated through heat treatment for desizing and electrochemical oxidation for activation. This nanocomposite was sequentially synthesized on the pretreated CFT surface using electrochemical polymerization and electrochemical deposition. Finally, the CFT/PANI/CuO NPs electrode was obtained. The electrochemical properties and sensing performance of the CFT/PANI/CuO NPs electrode were analyzed using chronoamperometry (CA), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The sensitivity of the CFT/PANI/CuO NPs electrode was about 8.352 mA/mM (in a linear range of 0.445~6.674 mM) and 3.369 mA/mM (in a linear range of 6.674~50 mM), respectively. So, the CFT/PANI/CuO NPs electrode exhibited the enhanced sensing performances due to unique properties such as small peak potential separation, low electron transfer resistance, and large specific surface area.

• Carbon letters
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2005

The electrosorption of U(VI) from waste water was carried out by using an activated carbon fiber (ACF) felt electrode in a continuous electrosorption cell. In order to enhance the electrosorption capacity at a lower potential, the ACF was electrochemically modified in an acidic and a basic solution. Pore structure and functional groups of the electrochemically modified ACF were examined, and the effects of the modification conditions were studied for the adsorption of U(VI). Specific surface area of all the ACFs was decreased by this modification. The amount of the acidic functional groups decreased with a basic modification, while the amount increased a lot with an acidic modification. The electrosorption capacity of U(VI) decreased on the acid modified electrode due to the shielding effect of the acidic functional groups. The base modified electrode enhanced the capacity due to a reduction of the acidic functional groups. The electrosorption amount of U(VI) on the base modified electrode at .0.3 V corresponds to that of the as-received ACF electrode at .0.9 V. Such a good adsorption capacity was due to a reduction of the shielding effect and an increase of the hydroxyl ions in the electric double layer on the ACF surface by the application of negative potential.

• Carbon letters
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• v.27
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• pp.64-71
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• 2018

$TiO_2$-doped activated carbon fibers (ACFs) were successfully prepared as capacitive deionization (CDI) electrode materials by facile ultrasonication-assisted process. ACFs were treated with titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) and isopropyl alcohol solutions of different concentrations and then calcinated by ultrasonication without heat-treatment. The results show that a certain amount of anatase $TiO_2$ was present on the ACF surface. The specific capacitance of the $TiO_2$-doped ACF electrode was remarkably improved (by 93.8% at scan rate of $50mV\;s^{-1}$) over that of the untreated ACF electrode, despite decreases in the specific surface area and total pore volume upon $TiO_2$ doping. From the CDI experiments, the salt adsorption capacity and charge efficiency of the sample with TTIP percent concentration of 15% were found to considerably increase by 71.9 and 57.1%, respectively. These increases are attributed to the improved wettability of the electrode, which increases the number of surface active sites and facilitates salt ion diffusion in the ACF pores. Additionally, the Ti-OH groups of $TiO_2$ act as electrosorption sites, which increases the electrosorption capacity.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.178-183
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• 2001

A pitch precursor for a general purpose carbon fiber was prepared by condensation of pyrolized fuel oil (petroleum residual oil) with bromine under nitrogen blowing. such a condensation raised the softening point of the pitch from 4$0^{\circ}C$ to $265^{\circ}$ with a yield of 43%. The pitch precurosr showed an enhanced aromaticity and enlarged molecular size, which led to a reduction in molecular mobility and optical isotropy. The precursor was spun into fibers of $20\mu\textrm{m}$ diameter at a take-up speed of 700m/min. The fiber was stepwise stabilized in air and carbonized in Ar gas to obtain an isotropic carbon fiber. The carbon fiber exhibited tensile strengths of 500-800 ㎫though the fiber was formed via a crude method. The electric conductivity of the carbon fiber was relatively high, 2.2$\times$$10^2$S/cm, sufficient to be used as electrode materials.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.403-407
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• 2007

The anodic degradation of benzoquinone(BQ), a model compound for wastewater treatment was carried out using a home-made flow-through electrochemical cell with carbon fibers. To optimize the controlled current electrolysis condition of an aqueous BQ solution, the experimental variables affecting the degradation of BQ, such as the applying current, pH, reaction time, and flow rate of the BQ solution were examined. The degradation products of the oxidation reaction were identified by High Performance Liquid Chromatography and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer. Low molecular weight aliphatic acids, and CO2 were the major products in this experiment. The removal efficiency of BQ from the solution increased with the applying current and time. 99.23% of 1.0 × 10-2 M BQ was degraded to aliphatic acids and CO2 when the applying current is 175 mA in a 12 hr electrolysis.