• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.110-122
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• 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic increased people's time at home and caused an 80% increase in noise disputes between floors. The purpose of this study is to propose suitable materials for making indoor shoes (insoles) to minimize noise between floors. Subjects without back pain and leg-related disease (e.g. arthritis, etc.) from three different age groups (childhood, adolescence, and adulthood) were recruited for the study. Five polymer insole materials were considered: Chloroprene Rubber (CR foam), Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM foam), Natural Latex foam, Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA foam), and Polyurethane (PU foam). From these materials, 20 combinations were prepared and randomly tested for noise and vibration. The results revealed a significant difference in noise and vibration levels based on the type of material used and the age of the subject. Nevertheless, all materials under consideration successfully reduced noise and vibration; in particular, type A-C greatly decreased. The CR foam material was especially effective at noise and vibration reduction (p<.01). This study suggests that adding insoles into socks that children wear at home could reduce noise vibration and disputes between floors.

• Clean Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.124-133
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• 2011

In addition to six substances regulated in EU RoHS including lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE), priority substances are identified in new RoHS II as hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). In this study, 20 plastic samples were collected from 12 domestic electrotechnical companies and levels of four restricted substances were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, Among 20 parts that compose washer, refrigerator or microwave oven, HBCDD was detected in three samples of NBR material with the amount of 42~381 mg/kg while DBP and BBP was not detected in any samples collected respectively, implying that these substance may not be used widely in plastic materials for EEE. However, DEHP was detected in all samples of NBR, PP, PBT, EPDM and PVC materials with the amount of 42 up to 59,400 mg/kg that exceeds the limit value of 0.1 wt% (1,000 mg/kg). Presence of a restricted substance in polymer material makes a great negative influence on a number of final product. To cope with coming RoHS II as well as REACH, action not to use DEHP in plastic material or the relevant notification in case of REACH seems to be needed. Screening test of Arsenic compounds such as diarsenic pentaoxide, diarsenic trioxide, lead hydrogen arsenate, triethyl arsenate that are included in REACH SVHC was done by ICP measurement Arsenium was detected in four samples made of NBR and PBT materials in the level of 15~700 mg/kg. By considering the screening method used in this study, the amount of arsenium compounds in the thermistor made of PBT material has a high chance of exceeding the regulated limit value.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.342-347
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• 2011

The effects of compatibilizers on the mechanical and rheological properties of PP/PCL and TPO/PCL blends have been studied. The thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) consists of PP (80 wt%), EPDM (15 wt%) and Talc (5 wt%). Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MAH) and maleic anhydride grafted styrene-(ethylene-co-butene)-styrene copolymer (SEBS-g-MAH) were used as compatibilizers. In mechanical properties of PP/PCL and TPO/PCL blends, tensile strength was increased when PP-g-MAH was used as a compatibilizer, and impact strength was increased when SEBS-g-MAH was used as a compatibilizer. From the results of SEM morphology of PP/PCL blend, PCL droplet size was decreased by the addition of PP-g-MAH. From the results of rheological property, complex viscosity of the PP/PCL and TPO/PCL blends did not change appreciably when the compatibilizers were added. From the results of mechanical, morphological and rheological properties of the blends, PP-g-MAH acted as a compatibilizer to increase the tensile strength of the PP/PCL and TPO/PCL blends. While SEBS-g-MAH acted as a impact modifier to increase the impact strength of the PP/PCL and TPO/PCL blends.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.511-516
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• 2009

Photodegradation characteristics of polyolefin composites were studied. Thermogravimetric analysis results suggest that the polyolefin blends used in this study have different amounts of talc. The mechanical behaviors of polyolefin blends, which experienced UV-irradiation in accordance with SAE J1960, are investigated using tensile and Izod impact tests. These results show that as the UV-exposure time increases, a significant drop in the elongation at break and impact strength at a low temperature are observed. This may be explained by the decreases in elastic energy derived from the scission of polymer molecular chains and the low density of entanglement after UV- photodegradation. Scanning electron microscopy observations indicate that no crack and surface damage are observed, while the additional talc particles are exposed, on the UV-exposed surfaces. The exposure of talc particles may be responsible for the discoloration of UV-exposed polyolefin blend surface. Observation using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirms the presence of photodegradation on the surface of UV-exposed polyolefin blend.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.22-33
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• 2009

Recently, elastomer-nanocomposites reinforced with low volume fraction of nanofillers have attracted great interest due to their fascinating properties. The incorporation of nanofillers, such as, layered silicate clays, carbon nanotubes, nanofibers, calcium carbonate, metal oxides or silica nanoparticles into elastomers improves significantly their mechanical, thermal, dynamic mechanical, barrier properties, flame retardancy, etc. The properties of nanocomposites depend greatly on the chemistry of polymer matrices, nature of nanofillers, and the method in which they are prepared. The uniform dispersion of nanofillers in elastomer matrices is a general prerequisite for achieving desired mechanical and physical characteristics. In this paper, current developments in the field of elastomer nanocomposites reinforced with layered silicates, silica, carbon nanotubes, nanofibers and various other nanoparticles have been addressed.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.178-189
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• 2012

As phthalates classified as toxic to reproduction category 2 and endocrine disrupting chemicals were more strictly regulated as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) for authorization in under EU REACH and considered as priority substances in RoHS II, standardization of phthalate testing method is now being proposed in IEC 62321 of IEC TC 111 and the 2nd revision of KS M 1991 is also finished. In order to assist standardization activities related to phthalating testing, solvent extraction part of existing national standards were compared and verified. Recovery of DEHP (diethylhexyl phthalate) from PVC (polyvinyl chloride) by Soxhlet extraction increased in the order of methanol, toluene, dichloromethane and hexane from 46.9% to 95.3% as measured by GC-MS. Optimum extraction time was verified to be 6 hours using hexane. Recovery of DBP (dibutyl phthalate), BBP (butylbenzyl phthalate), and DEHP from different matrixes such as PVC, nitro cellulose, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). and EPDM(ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber were evaluated to be more than 90% up to 99%. The detection limits of phthalates in solvent extraction followed by GC-MS analysis were 0.08~0.3 ${\mu}g/mL$ in solution and 8~30 mg/Kg in polymeric samples. GC-MS analyses of phthalates were carried out using different solvent extraction based on the EN 14372, ASTM D 7083, Japanese test method (MHLW 0906-4) and KS M 1991, proving that equivalent recoveries ranging from 98%~99% were obtained. DBP and DEHP were detected in three consumer products such as a child toy, a power cable and manicure with the amount of 22~1,910 mg/kg.