• Carbon letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.316-324
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• 2010

The effects of geometrical parameters on mechanical properties of graphite-vinylester nanocomposites and their constituents (matrix, reinforcement and interface) are studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Young's modulii of 1.3 TPa and 1.16 TPa are obtained for graphene layer and for graphite layers respectively. Interfacial shear strength resulting from the molecular dynamic (MD) simulations for graphene-vinylester is found to be 256 MPa compared to 126 MPa for graphitevinylester. MD simulations prove that exfoliation improves mechanical properties of graphite nanoplatelet vinylester nanocomposites. Also, the effects of bromination on the mechanical properties of vinylester and interfacial strength of the graphene.brominated vinylester nanocomposites are investigated. MD simulation revealed that, although there is minimal effect of bromination on mechanical properties of pure vinylester, bromination tends to enhance interfacial shear strength between graphite-brominated vinylester/graphene-brominated vinylester in a considerable magnitude.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.621-627
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• 2013

In order to apply eco-friendly poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) into barrier packaging materials, six different PPC/exfoliated graphite (EFG) nanocomposite films with different EFG were successfully prepared by a solution blending method. Their water sorption behavior was gravimetrically investigated as a function of the EFG content and interpreted with respect to their chemical structure and morphology. The water sorption isotherms were reasonably well fitted by Fickian diffusion model, regardless of morphological heterogeneities. With increasing the EFG content, the diffusion coefficient and water uptake decreased from $12.5{\times}10^{-10}cm^2sec^{-1}$ to $7.2{\times}10^{-10}cm^2sec^{-1}$ and from 8.9 wt% to 4.2 wt%, respectively, which indicates that the moisture resistance capacity of PPC was greatly enhanced by incorporating EFG into PPC. The enhanced water barrier property of the PPC/EFG nanocomposite films with the high aspect ratio EFG makes them potential candidates for versatile packaging applications. However, to maximize the performance of the nanocomposite films, further researches are required to increase the compatibility of EFG in the PPC matrix.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.95-100
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• 2018

The metal oxide/graphene nanocomposites are promising functional materials for high capacitive electrode material of secondary batteries, and high sensitive material of high performance gas sensors. In this study, vanadium dioxide($VO_2$) nanostructrures were grown on CVD graphene which was synthesized on Cu foil by thermal CVD, and exfoliated graphene which was exfoliated from highly oriented pyrolytic graphite(HOPG) using a vapor transport method. As results, $VO_2$ nanostructures on CVD graphene were grown preferential growth on abundant functional groups of graphene grain boundaries. The functional groups are served to nucleation site of $VO_2$ nanostructures. On the other hand, 2D & 3D $VO_2$ nanostructures were grown on exfoliated graphene due to uniformly distributed functional groups on exfoliated graphene surface. The characteristics of morphology controlled growth of $VO_2$/graphene nanocomposites would be applied to fabrication process for high capacitive electrode materials of secondary batteries, and high sensitive materials of gas sensors.

• Carbon letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2010

Graphene is one of the most promising materials for many applications. It can be used in a variety of applications not only as a reinforcement material for polymer to obtain a combination of desirable mechanical, electrical, thermal, and barrier properties in the resulting nanocomposite but also as a component in energy storage, fuel cells, solar cells, sensors, and batteries. Recent research at Michigan State University has shown that it is possible to exfoliate natural graphite into graphite nanoplatelets composed entirely of stacks of graphene. The size of the platelets can be controlled from less than 10 nm in thickness and diameters of any size from sub-micron to 15 microns or greater. In this study we have investigated the influence of melt compounding processing on the physical properties of a polyamide 6 (PA6) nanocomposite reinforced with exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnP). The morphology, electrical conductivity, and mechanical properties of xGnP-PA6 nanocomposite were characterized with electrical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, AC impedance, and mechanical properties. It was found that counter rotation (CNR) twins crew processed xGnP/PA6 nanocomposite had similar mechanical properties with co-rotation (CoR) twin screw processed or with CoR conducted with a screw design modified for nanoparticles (MCoR). Microscopy showed that the CNR processed nanocomposite had better xGnP dispersion than the (CoR) twin screw processed and modified screw (MCoR) processed ones. It was also found that the CNR processed nanocomposite at a given xGnP content showed the lowest graphite X-ray diffraction peak at $26.5^{\circ}$ indicating better xGnP dispersion in the nanocomposite. In addition, it was also found that the electrical conductivity of the CNR processed 12 wt.% xGnP-PA6 nanocomposite is more than ten times higher than the CoR and MCoR processed ones. These results indicate that better dispersion of an xGnP-PA6 nanocomposite is attainable in CNR twins crew processing than conventional CoR processing.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.40 no.9
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• pp.815-820
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• 2016

An elastic polymer (e.g., PDMS) blended with EFG particles is a promising conductive composite for fabricating soft sensors that can detect an object's deformation up to or more than 50%. Here, we develop large-strain, sprayable soft sensors using a mixture of PDMS and EFG particles, which are used as a host elastomer and electrically conductive particles, respectively. A solution for a conductive composite mixture is prepared by the microwave-assisted graphite exfoliation, followed by ultrasonication-induced fragmentation of the exfoliated graphite and ultrasonic blending of PDMS and EFG. Using the prepared solutions for composite and pure PDMS, 1-, 2-, and 3-axis soft sensors are fabricated by airbrush stencil technique where composite mixture and pure PDMS are materials for sensing and insulating layers, respectively. We characterize the soft strain sensors after investigating the effect of PDMS/EFG wt% on mechanical compliance and electrical conductance of the conductive composite.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.233.1-233.1
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• 2016

화학적 방법에 의한 NTE graphite의 박리 또는 전도도 개선을 위한 도핑공정을 수행할 경우, 결함 및 불순물 생성에 의해 재결정화 공정 및 순도 개선을 위한 별도의 공정을 필요로한다. 본 연구에서는 건식 방법으로써 10,000K 이상의 초고온 RF 열플라즈마를 이용하여 in-situ 방법으로 흑연의 박리, 결함 제거, 결정성 향상 및 도핑 공정을 수행하고, 도핑특성을 평가하였다. 질소 도핑을 위하여 암모니아 가스를 첨가하여 NTE graphite를 도핑 처리하였으며, 시뮬레이션을 통하여 반응기 내부의 온도분포를 파악하고, 도핑을 위한 암모니아가스가 분해되어 도핑공정이 수행될 수 있는 투입위치를 결정하였다. 질소 도핑율은 암모니아 가스의 주입위치에서의 온도 및 가스 주입 유량 등의 공정조건에 따라 변화됨을 확인하였고, XPS 분석결과 최대 14.87 atomic%의 도핑율의 결과를 얻었다.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.226-231
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• 2011

Graphene was coated on STS 316L by electro spray coating method to improve its properties of corrosion resistance and contact resistance. Exfoliated graphite (graphene) was made of the graphite by chemical treatment. Graphene is distributed using dispersing agent, and STS 316L was coated with diffuse graphene solution by electro spray coating method. The structure of the exfoliated graphite was analyzed using XRD and the coating layer of surface was analyzed by using SEM. Analysis showed that multi-layered graphite structure was destroyed and it was transformed into fine layers graphene structure. And the result of SEM analysis on the surface and the cross section, graphene layer was uniformly formed with 3~5 ${\mu}m$ thickness on the surface of substrate. Corrosion resistance test was applied in the corrosive solution which is similar to the PEM fuel cell stack inside. And interfacial contact resistance test was measured to simulate the internal operating conditions of PEM fuel cell stack. The results of measurements show that stainless steel coated with graphene was improved in corrosion resistance and surface contact resistance than stainless steel without graphene coating layer.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.133-137
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• 2011

Exfoliated graphite oxide (EGO) was prepared by graphite oxide in an aqueous solution of TMAOH. The hybrid graphene/Zn-Al LDH material was fabricated by the hydrothermal reduction of the solution of EGO, $Zn(NO_3)_2{\cdot}6H_2O$, $Al(NO_3)_3{\cdot}9H_2O$, urea, and trisodium citrate. That is, metal ions were absorbed on the surface of EGO, and Zn-Al LDH material was randomly dispersed on the surface of graphene along with a reduction process of EGO to graphene by hydrothermal treatment. The composition, morphology, and thermal property of the obtained graphene-based hybrid material were studied by FE-SEM, EDX, TEM, FT-IR, XRD, TGA, and DSC.

• Carbon letters
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2016

In the present study, exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnP) with different particle sizes were coated onto polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fibers by a direct coating method. The flexural properties, interlaminar shear strength, and the morphology of the xGnP-coated carbon fiber/phenolic matrix composites were investigated in terms of their longitudinal flexural strength and modulus, interlaminar shear strength, and by optical and scanning electron microscopic observations. The results were compared with a phenolic matrix composite counterpart prepared without xGnP. The flexural properties and interlaminar shear strength of the xGnP-coated carbon fiber/phenolic matrix composites were found to be higher than those of the uncoated composite. The flexural and interlaminar shear strengths were affected by the particle size of the xGnP, while the particle size had no significant effect on the flexural modulus. It seems that the interfacial contacts between the xGnP-coated carbon fibers and the phenolic matrix play a role in enhancing the flexural strength as well as the interlaminar shear strength of the composites.

• Carbon letters
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• v.24
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• pp.41-46
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• 2017

The microstructure, flexural properties, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) of epoxy composites filled with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnPs) and CNT-xGnP hybrid filler were investigated. The EMI SE of the CNT-xGnP hybrid composite was higher than 25 dB at 100 MHz while that of the xGnP based composite was almost zero. The flexural modulus of the CNT-xGnP based epoxy composite continuously increased to 3.32 GPa with combined filler content up to 10 wt% while that of the CNT based epoxy composites slightly decreased to 1.96 GPa at 4 wt% CNT, and dropped to 1.57 GPa at 5 wt% loading, which is lower than that of epoxy. The CNT and CNT-xGnP samples had the same EMI SE at the same surface resistivity, because samples with the same surface conductivity have the same amount of the charge carriers.