• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.470-477
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• 2021

Energy storage systems should address issues such as power fluctuations and rapid charge-discharge; to meet this requirement, CoFe₂O₄ (CFO) spinel nanoparticles with a suitable electrical conductivity and various redox states are synthesized and used as electrode materials for supercapacitors. In particular, CFO electrodes combined with carbon nanofibers (CNFs) can provide long-term cycling stability by fabricating binder-free three-dimensional electrodes. In this study, CFO-decorated CNFs are prepared by electrospinning and a low-cost hydrothermal method. The effects of heat treatment, such as the activation of CNFs (ACNFs) and calcination of CFO-decorated CNFs (C-CFO/ACNFs), are investigated. The C-CFO/ACNF electrode exhibits a high specific capacitance of 142.9 F/g at a scan rate of 5 mV/s and superior rate capability of 77.6% capacitance retention at a high scan rate of 500 mV/s. This electrode also achieves the lowest charge transfer resistance of 0.0063 Ω and excellent cycling stability (93.5% retention after 5,000 cycles) because of the improved ion conductivity by pathway formation and structural stability. The results of our work are expected to open a new route for manufacturing hybrid capacitor electrodes containing the C-CFO/ACNF electrode that can be easily prepared with a low-cost and simple process with enhanced electrochemical performance.

• Composites Research
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.82-87
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• 2021

The mechanical properties of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites (CFRPs) are greatly dependent on the interfacial adhesion between the carbon fibers and the epoxy matrix. Introducing nanomaterial reinforcements into the interface is an effective approach to enhance the interfacial adhesion of CFRPs. The main purpose of this work was to introduce graphitic nanofiber (GNFs) between an epoxy matrix and carbon fibers to enhance interfacial properties. The composites were reinforced with various concentrations of GNFs. For all of the fabricated composites, the optimum GNF content was found to be 0.6 wt%, which enhanced the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and fracture toughness (KIC) by 101.9% and 33.2%, respectively, compared with those of neat composites. In particular, we observed a direct linear relationship between ILSS and KIC through surface free energy. The related reinforcing mechanisms were also analyzed and the enhancements in mechanical properties are mainly attributed to the interfacial interlocking effect. Such an effort could accelerate the conversion of composites into high performance materials and provide fundamental understanding toward realizing the theoretical limits of interfacial adhesion and mechanical properties.

• Composites Research
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.186-193
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• 2016

The development of electrospun nanofibers with improved mechanical properties is of great scientific and technological interest because of their wide-range of applications. Reinforcement of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the polymer matrix is considered as a promising strategy for substantially enhancing the mechanical properties of resulting CNTs/polymer composite mats on account of extraordinary mechanical properties of CNTs such as ultra-high Young's modulus and tensile strengths. This paper summarizes the recent developments on electrospun CNTs/polymer composite mats with an emphasis on their mechanical properties.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.3258-3264
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• 2012

Aluminum oxide ($Al_2O_3$) nanofibers were treated thermally under an ammonia ($NH_3$) gas stream balanced by nitrogen to form a thin aluminum nitride (AlN) layer on the nanofibers, resulting in the enhancement of thermal conductivity of $Al_2O_3$/epoxy nanocomposites. The micro-structural and morphological properties of the $NH_3$-assisted thermally-treated $Al_2O_3$ nanofibers were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AEM), respectively. The surface characteristics and pore structures were observed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Zeta-potential and $N_2$/77 K isothermal adsorptions. From the results, the formation of AlN on $Al_2O_3$ nanofibers was confirmed by XRD and XPS. The thermal conductivity (TC) of the modified $Al_2O_3$ nanofibers/epoxy composites increased with increasing treated temperatures. On the other hand, the severely treated $Al_2O_3$/epoxy composites showed a decrease in TC, resulting from a decrease in the probability of heat-transfer networks between the filler and matrix in this system due to the aggregation of nanofiber fillers.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.94-98
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• 2008

In order to improve the specific capacitance of amorphous hydrous manganese oxide ($MnO_2$) for supercapacitors, it is made into composites with vapour-grown carbon nanofibers (VGCF) having the VGCF ratio as 40 wt% in the composites. The electrochemical properties of these composites are investigated in 1.0 M $Na_2SO_4$ by cyclic voltammetry (CV), impedance measurements and chronopotentiometric charger/discharger. The composite with 40 wt% VGCF shows the superior electrochemical performance, whose specific capacitance (based on the mass of $MnO_2$, $0.8mg/cm^2$) is 380 F/g at 20 mV/s and 230 F/g at 500 mV/s. Also, the cycle-life testing of this electrode carried out for 3,000 charge/discharge cycles at $2.0mA/cm^2$ shows 97% capacitance retention.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.10
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• pp.763-768
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• 2012

The uniform and highly smooth nanofibers of biocompatible poly(${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone) (PCL) composited with different contents of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were successfully prepared by electrospinning. Experimental parameters were MWCNTs addition to a PCL solution and applied voltages. The topographical features of the composite nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and its electrical properties were measured by a four-point probe method. The surface resistance gradually decreased with an increasing content of MWCNTs in PCL fibers because of the excellent electrical conductivity of MWCNTs. The nanofiber diameter could be regulated by varying the solution viscosity and voltages. Our results establish that this kind of electrospinning PCL/MWCNTs nanofibers with the control of fiber diameter and electrical conductivity may be a promising candidate for the application of scaffolds in tissue engineering.

• Composites Research
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.31-36
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• 2010

A new material, carbon-nanofiber/polypyrrole (CNF/PPy) composite films, with different CNF weight ratios were fabricated electrochemically. Compared to the fabrication process based on simple physical mixing, the flexibility of the new film has been improved much better than the previous similar material. Pure PPy films were also fabricated by the new electrochemical process for the comparison of difference. Several SEM images were taken at two locations (electrode-side and solution-side) and at the cross section of the samples. Electrical conductivity of the composite films was measured by the four-probe method. The conductivity of the pure PPy film 0.013cm thick was 79.33S/cm. The CNF/PPy composite film with 5% CNF showed a conductivity of 93S/cm. One with 10% CNF showed a conductivity of 126 S/cm. The conductivity of PPy improves, as the CNF weight ratio increases. The good conductivity of CNF/PPy composites makes them a candidate for a small bending actuator. A bending sensor consists of PPy and PVDF, which can be operated in the air, was designed and the bending deflection was calculated using FEM.

• Carbon letters
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.38-40
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• 2010

Carbon supported electrocatalysts are commonly used as electrode materials for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs). These kinds of electrocatalysts provide large surface area and sufficient electrical conductivity. The support of typical PEM fuel cell catalysts has been a traditional conductive type of carbon black. However, even though the carbon particles conduct electrons, there is still significant portion of Pt that is isolated from the external circuit and the PEM, resulting in a low Pt utilization. Herein, new types of carbon materials to effectively utilize the Pt catalyst are being evaluated. Carbon nanofiber/activated carbon fiber (CNF/ACF) composite with multifunctional surfaces were prepared through catalytic growth of CNFs on ACFs. Nickel nitrate was used as a precursor of the catalyst to synthesize carbon nanofibers(CNFs). CNFs were synthesized by pyrolysising $CH_4$ using catalysts dispersed in acetone and ACF(activated carbon fiber). The as-prepared samples were characterized with transmission electron microscopy(TEM), scanning electron microscopy(SEM). In TEM image, carbon nanofibers were synthesized on the ACF to form a three-dimensional network. Pt/CNF/ACF was employed as a catalyst for PEMFC. As the ratio of prepared catalyst to commercial catalyst was changed from 0 to 50%, the performance of the mixture of 30 wt% of Pt/CNF/ACF and 70wt% of Pt/C commercial catalyst showed better perfromance than that of 100% commercial catalyst. The unique structure of CNF can supply the significant site for the stabilization of Pt particles. CNF/ACF is expected to be promising support to improve the performance in PEMFC.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.385-390
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• 2006

In this work, the effect of carbon nanofiber (CNF) on thermal properties, and friction and wear behavior of CNF/PMMA composites were examined. While thermal properties of the composites were investigated with differential scanning calorimetry, thermograyimetric analyzer, and dynamic mechanical analyzer friction and wear behaviors were examined using a friction and wear tester. The glass transition temperature (Tg), integral procedural decomposition temperature (IPDT), storage modulus (E'), and tan ${\delta}$ appeared at higher temperatures with increasing CNF content, which were probably attributed to the presence of strong interactions between the carbonaceous fillers and the PMMA resins matrix. The wear loss in the composites decreased at 0.1 wt% CNF and then increased with 5-10 wt% CNF content. This was due to the existence of large aspect ratio CNF in PMMA which led to an alignment of PMMA chains and an increase of mechanical interlocking, resulting in the formation of crosslinked structures between CNF and PMMA in the composite.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.3-8
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• 2008

Self-sensing was evaluated for carbon nanofiber (CNF)/epoxy composites with two different aspect ratios via electro-micromechanical technique and wettability test. Volumetric electrical resistance was measured to evaluate the comparative dispersion degree indirectly and it decreased due to the increase of electric contacts with increasing CNF concentration. The dispersion degree was evaluated indirectly by calculating coefficient of variation (COV) of volumetric electrical resistance. The CNF type A with a high aspect ratio showed better self-sensing than the case of CNF type B with a short aspect ratio. The CNF type B/epoxy composite showed little self-sensing at a concentration higher than 2 vol% probably due to poor dispersion. The apparent modulus of CNF type B was higher than that of CNF type A due to the orientation effect and the high surface area. The thermodynamic work of adhesion was consistent with the result of apparent modulus.