• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.331-334
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• 2010

In the present study, carbon supports mixed with purified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and carbon blacks (CBs) were used to improve the cell performance of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Additionally, the effect of $O_2$ plasma treatment on CBs/MWNTs supports was investigated for different plasma RF powers of 100, 200, and 300 W. The surface and structural properties of the CBs/MWNTs supports were characterized by FT-IR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and inductive coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The electrocatalytic activity of PtRu/CBs/MWNTs catalysts was investigated by cyclic voltammetry measurement. In the experimental results, the oxygen functional groups of the supports were increased with increasing plasma RF power, while the average Pt particle size was decreased owing to the improvement of dispersibility of the catalysts. The electrochemical activity of the catalysts for methanol oxidation was gradually improved by the larger available active surface area, itself due to the introduction of oxygen functional groups. Consequently, it was found that $O_2$ plasma treatments could influence the surface properties of the carbon supports, resulting in enhanced electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts for DMFCs.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제20권10호
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• pp.513-517
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• 2010

There have been many efforts to modify and improve the properties of functional thin films by hybridization with nano-sized materials. For the fabrication of electronic circuits, micro-patterning is a commonly used process. For photochemical metal-organic deposition, photoresist and dry etching are not necessary for microscale patterning. We obtained direct-patternable $SnO_2$ thin films using a photosensitive solution containing Ag nanoparticles and/or multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). The optical transmittance of direct-patternable $SnO_2$ thin films decreased with introduction of nanomaterials due to optical absorption and optical scattering by Ag nanoparticles and MWNTs, respectively. The crystallinity of the $SnO_2$ thin films was not much affected by an incorporation of Ag nanoparticles and MWNTs. In the case of mixed incorporation with Ag nanoparticles and MWNTs, the sheet resistance of $SnO_2$ thin films decreased relative to incorporation of either single component. Valence band spectral analyses of the nano-hybridized $SnO_2$ thin films showed a relation between band structural change and electrical resistance. Direct-patterning of $SnO_2$ hybrid films with a line-width of 30 ${\mu}m$ was successfully performed without photoresist or dry etching. These results suggest that a micro-patterned system can be simply fabricated, and the electrical properties of $SnO_2$ films can be improved by incorporating Ag nanoparticles and MWNTs.

• 폴리머
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• 제35권5호
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• pp.395-401
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• 2011

원자이동 라디칼중합(atom transfer radical polymerization: ATRP) 반응을 이용하여 poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA)와 poly((2-dimethyl amino)ethyl methacrylate)(PDMAEMA) 등의 아크릴계 고분자가 각각 multi-walled carbon nanotube(MWNT) 표면에 그래프팅된 MWNT/PMMA 및 MWNT/PDMAEMA 나노복합체를 제조하였다. FTIR과 XRD 분석을 통하여 나노복합체에 존재하는 아크릴계 고분자의 특성피크를 확인하였으며 열중량분석법(TGA) 가열감량 곡선 분석을 통하여 ATRP 반응의 라디칼 리빙성이 유지됨을 확인하였다. 투과전자현미경(TEM)분석을 통하여 아크릴계 고분자가 MWNT에 그래프팅된 나노복합체의 형태(morphology)를 확인하였으며 Raman 분광분석을 수행함으로써 MWNT/PMMA 및 MWNT/PDMAEMA 나노복합체에서 고분자와 MWNT 사이에 공유결합이 형성되어 나타나는 스펙트럼 상의 D 밴드 및 G 밴드의 위치 및 세기 변화를 확인하였다.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.50-53
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• 2009

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were synthesized on different substrates (bare Si and $SiO_2$/Si substrate) to investigate dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) applications as counter electrode materials. The synthesis of MWNTs samples used identical conditions of a Fe catalyst created by thermal chemical vapor deposition at $900^{\circ}C$. It was found that the diameter of the MWNTs on the Si substrate sample is approximately $5{\sim}10nm$ larger than that of a $SiO_2$/Si substrate sample. Moreover, MWNTs on a Si substrate sample were well-crystallized in terms of their Raman spectrum. In addition, the MWNTs on Si substrate sample show an enhanced redox reaction, as observed through a smaller interface resistance and faster reaction rates in the EIS spectrum. The results show that DSSCs with a MWNT counter electrode on a bare Si substrate sample demonstrate energy conversion efficiency in excess of 1.4 %.

• 한국정밀공학회지
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.134-139
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• 2007

We report the suspension of individual multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) from the bottom substrate using deep trench electrodes that were fabricated using optical lithography. During drying of the solution in dielectrophoretic assembly, the capillary force pulls the MWNT toward the bottom substrate, and it then remains as a deformed structure adhering to the bottom substrate after the solution has dried out. Small-diameter MWNTs cannot be suspended using thin electrodes with large gaps, but large-diameter MWNTs can be suspended using thicker electrodes. We present the statistical experimental results for successful suspension, as well as the feasible conditions for a MWNT suspension based on a theoretical approach.

• Carbon letters
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.25-32
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• 2002

Aligned multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were synthesized through the catalytic decomposition of hydrocarbons in a quartz tube reactor. In this study, we investigated the influence of reaction parameters such as gas flow rate, ferrocene-xylene ratio and partial pressure, and reaction time on the yield and structure of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes produced by the floating catalyst method. The MWNTs produced had diameters in the range of 20~l00 nm, length around $100{\mu}m$ and bulk density about $0.51g/cm^3$ at a pressure of l0000 psi. It was possible to produce MWNTs with much faster growth rate of $12{\mu}m/min$ than that reported previously by the increase of ferrocene-xylene partial pressure.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• 제18권3호
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• pp.209-219
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• 2009

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have shown great potential for the reinforcement of polymers or fiber-reinforced composites. In this study, mechanical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT)-filled plain-weave glass/epoxy composites intended for use in radar absorbing structures were evaluated with regard to filler loading, microstructure, and fiber volume fraction. The plain-weave composites containing MWNTs exhibited improved matrix-dominant and interlaminar fracture-related properties, that is, compressive and interlaminar shear strength. This is attributed to strengthening of the matrix rich region and the interface between glass yarns by the MWNTs. However, tensile properties were only slightly affected by the addition of MWNTs, as they are fiber-dominant properties.

• 한국복합재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국복합재료학회 2004년도 춘계학술발표대회 논문집
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• pp.169-172
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• 2004

We fabricated MWNT-added glass fabric/epoxy composites. We observed the distribution of MWNTs in the composites using scanning electron microscopy and conformed that most of MWNTs exist in matrix rich region and interface between yams in warp and fill directions. We also investigated the change of permittivities with MWNT concentrations. Only $1wt\%$ MWNTs leads to high permittivity and electromagnetic waves are impossible to be transmitted to more than $3wt\%$ MWNT-added composites, which means the characteristics of these composites are comparable to those of metals or carbon fiber-reinforced composites.

• 한국응용과학기술학회지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.214-224
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• 2004

Although the structure of carbon nanotubes is important factor characterizing its properties, it is very difficult to control the structure of carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and to predict the range of their diameter, which is the primary factor of MWNTs' physical properties. We tried to control the diameter of MWNTsby governing the feed injection temperature of floating catalyst method. The structure of MWNTs was influenced by the phase change of ferrocene fed as the catalyst,. The carbon nanotubes were very narrow at injection temperatures close to the sublimation pt. of ferrocene, in which most MWNTs had diameters in the range of 20$^{\sim}$30 nm. At injection temperatures between the boiling pt. and melting pt. of ferrocene, the diameters became larger and had broad distribution. However, at injection temperatures higher than the boiling pt., the diameters became narrow again and had very uniform distribution.

• Macromolecular Research
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.498-505
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• 2007

This study demonstrated the in-situ functionalization with polymers of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) via emulsion polymerization. Polystyrene-functionalized MWNTs were prepared in an aqueous solution containing styrene monomer, non-ionic surfactant and a cationic coupling agent ([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trime-thylammonium chloride (MATMAC)). This process produced an interesting morphology in which the MWNTs, consisting of bead-string shapes or MWNTs embedded in the beads, when polymer beads were sufficiently large, produced nanohybrid material. This morphology was attributed to the interaction between the cationic coupling agent and the nanotube surface which induced polymerization within the hemimicellar or hemicylindrical structures of surfactant micelles on the surface of the nanotubes. In a solution containing MATMAC alone without surfactant, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were not well-dispersed, and in a solution containing only surfactant without MATMAC, polymeric beads were synthesized in isolation from CNTs and continued to exist separately. The incorporation of MATMAC and surfactant together enabled large amounts of CNTs (> 0.05 wt%) to be well-dispersed in water and very effectively encapsulated by polymer chains. This method could be applied to other well-dispersed CNT solutions containing amphiphilic molecules, regardless of the type (i.e., anionic, cationic or nonionic). In this way, the solubility and dispersion of nanotubes could be increased in a solvent or polymer matrix. By enhancing the interfacial adhesion, this method might also contribute to the improved dispersion of nanotubes in a polymer matrix and thus the creation of superior polymer nanocomposites.