• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.221-231
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• 2018

A new procedure to produce poly(vinylidene fluoride)/boron nitride hybrid membrane is presented for application in membrane distillation (MD) process. The influence of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) incorporation on the performance of the polymeric membranes is studied through the present investigation. For this aim, h-BN nanopowders were successfully synthesized using the simple chemical vapor deposition (CVD) route and subsequent solvent treatments. The resulting h-BN nanosheets were blended with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) solution. Then, the prepared composite solution was subjected to phase inversion process to obtain PVDF/h-BN hybrid membranes. Various examinations such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), wettability, permeation flux, mechanical strength and liquid entry pressure (LEP) measurements are performed to evaluate the prepared membrane. Moreover, Air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) experiments were carried out to investigate the salt rejection performance and the durability of membranes. The results show that our hybrid PVDF/h-BN membrane presents higher water permeation flux (${\sim}18kg/m^2h$) compared to pristine PVDF membrane. In addition, the experimental data confirms that the prepared nanocomposite membrane is hydrophobic (water contact angle: ${\sim}103^{\circ}$), has a porous skin layer (>85%), as well competitive fouling resistance and operational durability. Furthermore, the total salt rejection efficiency was obtained for PVDF/h-BN membrane. The results prove that the novel PVDF/h-BN membrane can be easily synthesized and applied in MD process for salt rejection purposes.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.253-261
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• 2021

Solutions to water pollution, global warming, and climate change have been currently discussed. Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) using a difference in salt concentration between two fluids is proposed to meet the demand for clean water and produce eco-friendly energy. Although PRO has been researched continuously, it has not been commercialized yet due to limitations such as lack of technology and the high price of membranes. Meanwhile, the membrane is one of the most significant parts of the PRO engine and salinity gradient power (SGP) technology. Research continues to technologically develop graphene oxide membranes and nanocomposite membranes used in salinity gradient power generation. Studies on efficient membranes, solvents, and solutes are active to enable high energy efficiency of the osmotic heat engine even at low temperatures of waste. Studies have been conducted on reducing internal concentration polarization and increasing power density by using membranes with balanced permeability and selectivity. In this review, dealing with these studies, we discuss the types of PRO membranes, theoretical modeling of technologies through efficient membranes, and other technologies to develop the process efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.87-90
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• 2005

This paper presents an evaluation of the effect of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) with sulfonation degree of 57%. A series of inorganic-organic hybrid membranes were prepared with a systematic variation of titanium dioxide nanoparticles content. Their water uptake, methanol permeability and proton conductivity as a function of temperature were investigated. The results obtained show that the inorganic oxide network decreases the proton conductivity and water swelling. It is also found that increase in inorganic oxide content leads to decrease of methanol permeability. In terms of morphology, membranes are homogeneous and exhibit a good adhesion between inorganic domains and the polymer matrix. The properties of the composite membranes are compared with standard nafion membrane.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.164-164
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• 2008

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.430-437
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• 2006

The ultra-drawing process of an ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) gel film was examined by incorporating linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and $BaTiO_3$ nanoparticles. The effects of LLDPE and the draw ratios on the morphological development and mechanical properties of the nanocomposite membrane systems were investigated. By incorporating $BaTiO_3$ nanoparticles in the UHMWPE/LLDPE blend systems, the ultra-drawing process provided a highly extended, fibril structure of UHMWPE chains to form highly porous, composite membranes with well-dispersed nanoparticles. The ultra-drawing process of UHMWPE/LLDPE dry-gel films desirably dispersed the highly loaded $BaTiO_3$ nanoparticles in the porous membrane, which could be used to form multi-layered structures for electronic applications in various embedded, printed circuit board (PCB) systems.

• Korean Membrane Journal
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2008

Proton conducting composite membranes were prepared by solution blending of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene)-graft-poly(sulfopropyl methacrylate) (P(VDF-CTFE)-g-PSPMA) graft copolymer and heteropolyacid (HPA). The P(VDF-CTFE)-g-PSPMA graft copolymer was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) using direct initiation of the secondary chlorines of P(VDF-CTFE). FT-IR spectroscopy revealed that HPA nanoparticles were incorporated into the graft copolymer via hydrogen bonding interactions. The water uptake of membranes continuously decreased with increasing HP A concentration up to 45wt%, after which it slightly increased. It is presumably due to the decrease in number of water absorption sites due to hydrogen bonding interaction between the HP A particles and the polymer matrix. The proton conductivity of membranes increased with increasing HPA concentration up to 45wt%, resulting from both the intrinsic conductivity of HP A particles and the enhanced acidity of the sulfonic acid of the graft copolymer.

• KIEE International Transactions on Electrophysics and Applications
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• v.5C no.4
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• pp.165-170
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• 2005

A series of inorganic-organic hybrid membranes were prepared with a systematic variation of titanium dioxide nanoparticle content. Their water uptake, methanol permeability and proton conductivity as a function of temperature were investigated. The results obtained show that the inorganic oxide network decreases the proton conductivity and water swelling. It is also found that increase in inorganic oxide content leads to decrease of methanol permeability. In terms of the morphology, membranes are homogeneous and exhibit good adhesion between inorganic domains and the polymer matrix. The properties of the composite membranes are compared with the standard nafion membrane.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.158-172
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• 2020

In the aspect of saving energy and water, facilitating the separation membrane for the water treatment has been rising recently as one of the possible solutions. However, microbial biofouling effect is the biggest obstacle that hinders reaching higher permeability over a prolonged period of nanofiltration operation. To solve this problem and fully utilize the filtration membranes with enhanced performance, largely two kinds of solutions are studied and the first and the most commonly mentioned type is the one using the silver nanoparticles. Since silver nanoparticles are important to be well tailored on membrane surface, various methods have been applied and suggested. Using silver nanoparticles however also has the drawbacks or possible toxicity risks, raising the need for other types of utilizing non silver particles to functionalize the membrane, such as copper, graphene or zinc oxides, and amine moieties. Each attempt included in either kind has produced some notable results in killing, preventing, or repelling the bacteria while at the same time, left some unsolved points to be evaluated. In this review, the effects of metal nanoparticles and other materials on the antifouling properties of water treatment membranes are summarized.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.129-153
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• 2017

Platinum is a transition metal that is very resistant to corrosion. It is used as catalyst for converting methyl alcohol to formaldehyde, as catalytic converter in cars, for hydrocracking of heavy oils, in Fuel Cell devices etc. Moreover, Platinum compounds are important ingredient for cancer chemotherapy drugs. The nano forms of Platinum due to its unique physico-chemical properties that are not found in its bulk counterpart, has been found to be of great importance in electronics, optoelectronics, enzyme immobilization etc. The stability of Platinum nanoparticles has supported its use for the development of efficient and durable proton exchange membrane Fuel Cells. The present review concentrates on the use of Platinum conjugated with various metal or compounds, to fabricate nanocomposites, to enhance the efficiency of Platinum nanoparticles. The recent advances in the synthesis methods of different Platinum-based nanocomposites and their applications in Fuel Cell, sensors, bioimaging, light emitting diode, dye sensitized solar cell, hydrogen generation and in biosystems has also been discussed.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.44 no.4 s.299
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• pp.194-197
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• 2007

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/$Fe_2O_3$ nanocomposite membranes with a thickness of 0.02 mm were electrospun by adding 0 to 5 wt% of $Fe_2O_3$ into PAN. The surface tension, density, kinematic viscosity and dynamic viscosity of the PAN solution were determined to be $33.8{\pm}1mN/m$, 0.9794 g/ml, $1548.6mm^2/sec$ and 1516.7 cP, respectively. The average diameters of PAN fibers containing 0, 1 2, 3, and 4 wt% $Fe_2O_3$ particles were 300, 260, 210, 130, and 90 nm, respectively. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results showed that the addition of $Fe_2O_3$ nanoparticles to the PAN mat reduced the absorption peak intensity at $2242cm^{-1}$ ($C{\equiv}N$ bond) while it caused a sharp increase in the peak intensity at $2356cm^{-1}$(C=O bond). Thus, it appears that an appropriate amount of $Fe_2O_3$ nanoparticles in the PAN backbone leads to an improvement of the performance of the $CO_2$ gas sensor, most likely due to the change of functional groups in the membrane.