• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.4A
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• pp.761-766
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• 2006

Polymer composite are increasingly considered as structural components for use in civil engineering, on account of their enhanced strength-to-weight ratios. Unsaturated polyester (UP) resin have been widely used for the matrix of composites such as FRP and polymer composite, due to its excellent adhesive. Polymer nanocomposites are new class of composites derived from the nano scale inorganic particles with dimensions typically in the range of 1 to 1000 nm that are dispersed in the polymer matrix homogeneously. Owing to the high aspect ratio of the fillers, mechanical, thermal, flame, retardant and barrier properties are enhanced without significant loss of clarity, toughness or impact strength. To prepare the MMT (Montmorillonite)-UP exfoliated nanocomposites, UP was mixed with MMT at $60^{\circ}C$ for 3 hours by using pan mixer. XRD (X-ray diffraction) pattern of the composites and TEM (Transmission Electron Micrographs) showed that the interlayer spacing of the modified MMT were exfoliated in polymer matrix. The mechanical properties also supported these findings, since in general, tensile strength, modulus with modified MMT were higher than those of the composites with unmodified MMT. The thermal stability of MMT-UP nanocomposite is better than that of pure UP, and its glass transition temperature is higher than that of pure UP. The polymer concrete made with MMT-UP nanocomposite has better mechanical properties than of pure UP. Therefore, it is suggested that strength and elastic modulus of polymer concrete was found to be positively tensile strength and tensile modulus of the MMT-UP nanocomposites.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.235-244
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• 2013

Detection of halogens using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in open air is very difficult since their strong atomic emission lines are located in VUV region. In NIR region, there are other emission lines of halogens through electronic transitions between excited states. However, these lines undergo Stark broadening severely. We report the observation of the emission lines of halogens in laser-induced plasma (LIP) spectra in NIR region using a helium gas flow. Particularly, the emission lines of iodine at 804.374 and 905.833 nm from LIPs have been observed for the first time. In the helium ambient gas, Stark broadening of the emission lines and background continuum emission could be suppressed significantly. Variations of the line intensity, plasma temperature, and electron density with the helium flow rate was investigated. Detection of chlorine and bromine in flame retardant of rubbers was demonstrated using this method. Finally, we suggest a pulsed helium gas jet as a practical and ecomonical helium gas source for the LIBS analysis of halogens in open air.

• Composites Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.133-138
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• 2018

Polymer foams were used to fill the void in the structure in addition to flame retardant and heat insulation. Polymer foams such as polyurethane, polyisocyanurate, poly(vinyl chloride), polyethylene terephthalate were used to weight lighting materials. In this study, epoxy foam was used to improve mechanical properties of polymer foam. Acid anhydride type hardener reacts with polyol. Using this phenomenon, if blowing agent was added into epoxy resin using acid anhydride type hardener, formation and compressive properties of epoxy foam was studied. Formation of polymer foam was compared with type of blowing agent and concentration of blowing agent via compressive test. As these results, optimized condition of epoxy foam was found and epoxy foam had better compressive property than other polymer foam.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 2006

Nanocomposites of polyurethane were prepared from inorganic nano particles, $Na^+-montmorillonite$ (MMT), silica, $CaCO_3$, and surface modified MMT and their properties were investigated. It was shown that the molecular weight and polydispenity of nanocomposites of polyurethane were 20000 to 28000 and 1.0 to 2.0, respectively. d-Spacing for nanocomposites of MMT were increased than that of pure MMT. Initial degradation temperature of nanocomposites were 250 to $280^{\circ}C$. And also, the range of weight loss for nanocomposites were decreased and the end of thermal degradation was observed at higher temperatures about $50^{\circ}C$. The elongation at break for $CaCO_3$ filled nanocomposites were the highest among the nanocomposites used in this study. studied. It was found that the tensile strength increased with increasing the filler contents while the silica nanocomposite exhibited the lowest increase and the $CaCO_3$ nanocomposite the highest.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.439-443
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• 2011

It was performed to test the combustive properties of low density polyethylene and ethylene vinyl acetate (LDPE-EVA) mixture by the addition of magnesium hydroxide. Flame retardant of natural magnesium hydroxide was added to the mixture of LDPE-EVA in 40 to 80 wt% concentration. The composite was compounded to prepare specimen for combustive analysis by cone calorimeter (ISO 5660-1). Comparing with virgin LDPE-EVA, the specimens including the magnesium hydroxide had lower combustive properties. It is supposed that the combustion-retardation properties in the composites improved due to the endothermic decomposition of magnesium hydroxide. The specimens with magnesium hydroxide showed both the lower peak heat release rate (PHRR) and lower effective heat of combustion (EHC) than those of virgin polymer. As the magnesium hydroxide content increases, time to ignition increased and the peak heat release rate decreased.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.164-170
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• 2011

In this study, silicone rubber filled with environmentally-friendly perlite was prepared by mechanical mixing in order to improve thermal properties, such as heat and fire resistances. We found that the properties of silicone rubber composites depended on perlite concentration by various characterization methods. Thermogravimetric analysis(TGA) indicated that the initial degradation temperature of silicone/perlite composite was higher than that of pristine silicone rubber. The gas torch test showed that the opposite side temperature of composite materials was remarkably low as compared to that of pristine silicone rubber. In addition, the composites containing 5 wt% and 10 wt% of perlite showed remarkable thermal stability at elevated temperatures according to the results of both fireproof furnace tests under the RABT condition and carbonization furnace tests. The images from a scanning electron microscope(SEM) showed the degree of dispersion of perlite in silicone rubber. Finally, it was confirmed that limited oxygen index(LOI) was increased with perlite concentration.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.15-25
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• 2010

In the present study, isothermal stabilization processes for rayon fabrics were performed at two relatively low temperatures $180^{\circ}C$ and $200^{\circ}C$ for a long period of time. The results of weight loss, dimensional shrinkage, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopic observations studied with the rayon fabrics before and after the isothermal stabilization indicated that the chemical and physical changes of rayon precursor fibers proceeded continuously and slowly at the stabilization temperature below $200^{\circ}C$. And the pre-treatment with four different chemical compounds done prior to stabilization process influenced differently the characteristics of rayon fabrics. As a result, it was noticed that under the given stabilization conditions, $H_3PO_4$ and $Na_3PO_4$ played a role in catalyzing the stabilization reaction of rayon fabric whereas $NH_4Cl$ and $ZnCl_2$ played a role in delaying or retarding the reaction. $H_3PO_4$ showed the lowest percent weight loss of the fabric in the second stabilization conducted at $350^{\circ}C$. It was considered that phosphoric acid, which has a function of flame retardant, contributed to retarding somewhat the subsequent reaction even in the second stabilization step.