• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.173-181
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• 2018

Recently composite materials have dominated most engineering fields, owing to their better performance, increased durability and flexibility to be customized and designed for a specific required property. This has given them unprecedented superiority over conventional materials. With the help of the ever increasing computational capabilities of computers, researchers have been trying to develop accurate material models for the complex and integrated properties of these composites. This has led to advances in virtual testing of composite materials as a supplement or a possible replacement of laboratory experiments to predict the properties and responses of composite materials and structures. This paper presents a review on the complex multi-scale modelling framework of the virtual testing machines, which involve computational mechanics at various length-scales starting with nano-mechanics and ending in structure level computational mechanics, with a homogenization technique used to link the different length scales. In addition, the paper presents the features of some of the biggest integrated virtual testing machines developed for study of concrete, including a multiscale modeling scheme for the simulation of the constitutive properties of nanocomposites. Finally, the current challenges and future development potentials for virtual test machines are discussed.

• Composites Research
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.357-372
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• 2021

The energy harvesting device is known to be promising as an alternative to solve the resource shortage caused by the depletion of petroleum resources. In order to overcome the limitations (environmental pollution and low mechanical properties) of piezoelectric elements capable of converting mechanical motion into electrical energy, many studies have been conducted on a polymer matrix-based composite piezoelectric energy harvesting device. In this paper, the output performance and related applications of the reported piezoelectric composites are reviewed based on the applied materials and processes. As for the piezoelectric fillers, zinc oxide, which is advantageous in terms of eco-friendliness, biocompatibility, and flexibility, as well as ceramic fillers based on lead zirconate titanate and barium titanate, were reviewed. The polymer matrix was classified into piezoelectric polymers composed of polyvinylidene fluoride and copolymers, and flexible polymers based on epoxy and polydimethylsiloxane, to discuss piezoelectric synergy of composite materials and improvement of piezoelectric output by high external force application, respectively. In addition, the effect of improving the conductivity or the mechanical properties of composite material by the application of a metal or carbon-based secondary filler on the output performance of the piezoelectric harvesting device was explained in terms of the structure of the composite material. Composite material-based piezoelectric harvesting devices, which can be applied to small electronic devices, smart sensors, and medicine with improved performance, can provide potential insights as a power source for wireless electronic devices expected to be encountered in future daily life.

• Composites Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2006

The avoidance of enemy's radar detection is very important issue in the modem electronic weapon system. Researchers have studied to minimize reflected signals of radar. In this research, two types of radar absorbing structure (RAS), 'C'-type shell and 'U'-type shell, were fabricated using fiber-reinforced composite materials and their radar cross section (RCS) were evaluated. The absorption layer was composed of glass fiber reinforced epoxy and nano size carbon-black, and the reflection layer was fabricated with carbon fiber reinforced epoxy. During their manufacturing process, undesired thermal deformation (so called spring-back) was observed. In order to reduce spring-back, the bending angle of mold was controlled by a series of experiments. The spring-back of parts fabricated by using compensated mold was predicted by finite element analysis (ANSYS). The RCS of RAS shells were measured by compact range and predicted by physical optics method. The measured RCS data was well matched with the predicted data.

• Composites Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.209-214
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• 2024

Graphene oxide (GO), known for its high stiffness, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity, is being utilized as a reinforcement in nanocomposite materials. This study evaluates the mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites incorporating GO and edge modified GO (E-GO), which has hydroxyl groups substituted only on its edges. GO/E-GO was uniformly dispersed in epoxy resin using ultrasonic dispersion, and mechanical properties were assessed through tensile testing. The results showed that the addition of nanoparticles increased both tensile strength and toughness. The tensile strength of the epoxy without nanoparticles was 74.4 MPa, while the highest tensile strength of 90.7 MPa was observed with 0.3 wt% E-GO. Additionally, the modulus increased from 2.55 GPa to 3.53 GPa with the addition of nanoparticles. Field emission scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surface revealed that the growth of cracks was impeded by the nanoparticles, preventing complete fracture and causing the cracks to split in multiple directions. E-GO, with surface treatment only on the edges, exhibited higher mechanical properties than GO due to its superior dispersion and surface treatment effects. These results highlight the importance of nanoparticle surface treatment in developing high-performance nanocomposite materials.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.518-525
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• 2007

The thermomechanical properties and morphologies of nanocomposite fibers of poly(ethylene terephthalate)(PET) incorporating thermally stable organoclays are compared. Dodecyltriphenyl-phosphonium-mica($C_{12}PPh-Mica$) and 1-hexadecane benzimidazole-mica ($C_{16}BIMD-Mica$) were used as reinforcing fillers in the fabrication of PET hybrid fibers. Dispersions of organoclays with PET were studied by using the in-situ polymerization method at various organoclay contents to produce nano-scale composites. The thermo-mechanical properties and morphologies of the PET hybrid fibers were determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), wide angle X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), and a universal tensile machine (UTM). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs show that some of the clay layers are dispersed homogeneously within the polymer matrix on the nano-scale, although some clay particles are agglomerated. We also found that the addition of only a small amount of organoclay is enough to improve the thermal stabilities and mechanical properties of the PET nanocomposite fibers. Even polymers with low organoclay content (<5 wt%) were found to exhibit much higher thermo-mechanical values than pure PET fibers.

• Composites Research
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.355-359
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• 2019

The high efficient water splitting system should involve the reduction of high overpotential value, which was enhanced by the electrocatalytic reaction efficiency of catalysts, during the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) reaction, respectively. Among them, transition metal-based compounds (oxides, sulfides, phosphides, and nitrides) are attracting attention as catalyst materials to replace noble metals that are currently commercially available. Herein, we synthesized optimal monodisperse Co₃[Co(CN)₆]₂ PBAs by FESEM, and confirmed crystallinity by XRD and FT-IR, and thermal behavior of PBAs via TG-DTA. Also, we synthesized monodispersed Co₃O₄ nanocubes by calcination of Co₃[Co(CN)₆]₂ PBAs, confirmed the crystallinity by XRD, and proceeded OER measurement. Finally, the synthesized Co₃O₄ nanocubes showed a low overpotential of 312 mV at a current density of 10 mA·cm^-2 with a low Tafel plot (96.6 mV·dec^-1).

• Journal of the Korean Graphic Arts Communication Society
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.23-33
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• 2011

This experimental focus to characterize luminescence properties related to CNT (Carbon Nano Tube) element dispersedly implanted in ZnS-based phosphor thin film panel fabricated by a screen printing method. More specifically FE-SEM measurements, L-V(Luminescence vs. Voltage) and photo luminescence were carried out to determine an optimum value of CNT concentration and film thickness for the thin film structure of CNT-ZnS:(Cu, Al) by the screen printing method. We confirmed that an optimum value of CNT concentration in the ZnS:(Cu, Al) film panel is about 0.75 wt% resulting that the electric conductivity is 1.6 times higher than that of pure CNT sample and showing that the luminescence intensity is increasing until the optimum concentration. Clearly, CNT is presenting in the luminescence process providing a pathway for the creation of hot electron and a channel for the electron-hole recombination but overly inserted CNT may hinder to produce the hot electron for making an avalanching process. In case of the overly doped CNT 1.0 wt% in the ZnS-based phosphor, the luminescence intensity is decreasing although the electric conductivity is exponentially increasing. Based on these results, we realized that hot electron occurred by the external electric field or exciton arose by the external photon source are reduced dramatically over the critical value of CNT concentration because CNT element provide various isolated residues in the composites of ZnS based phosphor rather than pathway or channel for the D-A(Donnor to Acceptor) pair transition or the radiative recombination of electron-hole.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.1197-1205
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• 2018

UV protection cosmetics belong to functional cosmetics and contain organic or inorganic UV blocking pigments. The inorganic UV blocking pigments are mainly zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. It is known that inorganic UV blocking pigment has a diameter of 60 to 100 nm and has good blocking ability of UVA and UVB. Also, it has high inactivity against sunlight including UV and is excellent in safety. In addition, it is not absorbed or accumulated on the skin like organic pigments and does not cause skin irritation or allergy. In this study, mica, a plate-shaped inorganic pigment, nanosized titanium dioxide, an UV blocking material, and hydrophobic silica were surface-treated with surfactants. And then, titanium dioxide nanoparticles and silica were physically adsorbed on the mica by non-chemical mutual attraction due to differences in charge. Thereafter, the mica complex was surface-treated with silane to prepare a hydrophobic UV blocking pigment complex. The plate-shaped UV blocking composite improves the cohesiveness of a general nanoparticle material titanium dioxide, enhances UV blocking effect due to uniform dispersion, and can greatly improve dispersion stability in cosmetic formulations by surface treatment with hydrophobic property. The surface charge of the pigment was evaluated by zeta potential. The properties of the UV blocking pigment complex were evaluated by FE-SEM, XRD, FT-IR and UV-VIS.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.81-86
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• 2019

Metal oxide/graphene composites have been known as promising functional materials for advanced applications such as high sensitivity gas sensor, and high capacitive secondary battery. In this study, tin dioxide ($SnO_2$) nanostructures were grown on chemically synthesized graphene nanosheets using a two-zone horizontal furnace system. The large area graphene nanosheets were synthesized on Cu foil by thermal chemical vapor deposition system with the methane and hydrogen gas. Chemically synthesized graphene nanosheets were transferred on cleaned $SiO_2$(300 nm)/Si substrate using the PMMA. The $SnO_2$ nanostuctures were grown on graphene nanosheets at $424^{\circ}C$ under 3.1 Torr for 3 hours. Raman spectroscopy was used to estimate the quality of as-synthesized graphene nanosheets and to confirm the phase of as-grown $SnO_2$ nanostructures. The surface morphology of as-grown $SnO_2$ nanostructures on graphene nanosheets was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). As the results, the synthesized graphene nanosheets are bi-layers graphene nanosheets, and as-grown tin oxide nanostructures exhibit tin dioxide phase. The morphology of $SnO_2$ nanostructures on graphene nanosheets exhibits complex nanostructures, whereas the surface morphology of $SnO_2$ nanostructures on $SiO_2$(300 nm)/Si substrate exhibits simply nano-dots. The complex nanostructures of $SnO_2$ on graphene nanosheets are attributed to functional groups on graphene surface.

• Composites Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.15-24
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• 2008

In this study, shear thickening fluid (STF) filled with rigid nano silica particles was impregnated in plain woven Kevlar fabrics to improve the impact resistance performance. The nano silica particles with an average diameter of 100nm, 300nm, and 500nm were used to make shear thickening fluid to estimate the effect of particle size on the impact behavior of STF impregnated Kevlar fabrics. The yam pull-out and frictional tests were conducted to estimate the effect of impregnated STF on the frictional characteristics. The test results showed that the friction forces were dramatically increased at the STF onset shear strain rates that were measured in preliminary rheology tests. The low speed impact tests were performed using the drop test machine. The results showed that the impregnated STF improved the impact resistance performance of the Kevlar fabrics in terms of the impact energy absorption and the deformation. It has been shown through tests that the impregnated STF affects the interfacial friction which contributes to improve the energy absorption in the Kevlar fabrics. Especially, the impregnation of the STF with the smaller particle size into the Kevlar fabrics showed the better performance in impact energy absorption.