• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.789-794
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• 2012

Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) has been most widely used due to its advantages such as good biodegradability, controllable rate of degradation and metabolizable degradation products. We manufactured composite scaffolds of PLGA scaffold penetrated DBP gel (PLGA/DBP gel) by a simple method, solvent casting/salt leaching prep of PLGA scaffolds and subsequent soaking in DBP gel. Chondrocytes were seeded on the PLGA/DBP gel. The mechanical strength of scaffold, histology (H&E, Safranin-O, Alcian-blue) and immunohistochemistry (collagen type I, collagen type II) were performed to elucidate in vitro and in vivo cartilage-specific extracellular matrices. It was better to keep the characteristic of chondrocytes in the PLGA/DBP gel scaffolds than that PLGA scaffolds. This study suggests that PLGA/DBP gel scaffold may serve as a potential cell delivery vehicle and a structural basis for in vivo tissue engineered cartilage.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.539-542
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• 2003

Recently, the polymer insulators which are being used for high voltage applications have some advantages such as light weight, small size, vandalism resistance, hydrophobicity and easy making process. During outdoor service of polymer insulators, the surface of the insulating material is frequently subjected to moisture and contamination which lead to the well known phenomenon of dry band arcing. Their tracking resistance, erosion resistance, end sealing and shed design are very important because dry band arcing causes degradation of polymer surface. The shape design of porcelain insulator is formalized but design standard for polymer insulator is no standardized up to now, much research is necessary in real condition. In this paper, the aging property of polymer insulator with shed shape(regular, alternative type) is analyzed through numerical analysis, CEA(canadian electricity association) tracking wheel test and IEC 61109 Annex C.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.75-81
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• 2010

Characteristics of mixing biodegradable polymers and polymer impregnated paper for mulching mat for seedling were investigated. The mixed film of 70% PLA was most easily biodegradable. The surface of polymer films were changed to more rough due to enzymatic degradation of lipase. Tensile strength and breaking elongation of PLA mixed films were increased to the 0.04-0.31 kN/m and the 0.17-0.96%, respectively. With higher PLA contents, intensities of ester originated carboxyl group(about $1,748cm^{-1}$) were increased. Physical properties of prepared mulching mats were increased with PLA contents and stiffness of mulching mat was not so much changed.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.1013-1021
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• 2004

This paper presents the results of spectrum analysis of leakage current waveforms on contaminated polymer insulators under fog conditions. This is a basic study on development of a monitoring for aging degree and surface pollution state using distortion rate(%) of 3rd and 5th harmonics according fundamental frequency[60Hz] under environment conditions. Arcing on the surface was always associated with distortion in the leakage current ; hence the low frequency components of the leakage current can be used as a means to evaluate the surface degradation. The results indicate that the distortion rate by spectrum analysis is available for the monitoring of contamination condition of EPDM Polymer insulators.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.53-56
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• 2004

Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) is considered as a candidate technology for applications in stationary, transportation as well as electronic power generation purposes. To develop a high performance direct methanol fuel cell(DMFC), a competent electrolyte membrane is needed. The electrolyte membrane should be durable and methanol crossover must be low. One of the approaches to increase the stability of generally used polymer electrolyte membranes such as Nafion against swelling or thermal degradation is to bond it with an inorganic material physically or chemically. In Noritake Company, we have developed a novel method of reinforcing the polymer electrolyte matrix with inorganic fibers. Methanol crossover values measured were significantly lower than the original polymer electrolyte membranes. These fiber reinforced electrolyte membranes (FREM) were used for DMFC study and stable power output values as high 160 mW/$\textrm{cm}^2$ were measured. The details of the characteristics of the membranes as well as I-V data of fuel cell stacks are detailed in the paper.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.18 no.5 s.95
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• pp.667-675
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• 2006

Concrete is much more easily damaged by various parameters than by the only one and performance reducing mechanism grows more complicated in that condition. In addition, the factors which really act in concrete structure tend to be activated in turn and the degradation of concrete is very rapidly progressed. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the properties of polymer cement mortars under combined cures. The polymer cement mortars are prepared with various polymer types, polymer-cement ratios and cement-fine aggregate ratio, and tested for compressive and flexural strengths, accelerated carbonation, chloride ion penetration and acid resistance test, and freezing-thawing test. The properties of polymer cement mortars under combined cures is discussed. From the test results, polymer cement mortars have superior strengths compared with plain cement mortar under combined cures. The strengths of polymer cement mortars are markedly increased at curing condition II and V, however strengths are not improved at curing condition I and IV irregardless of polymer types. The carbonation and chloride ion penetration depths of polymer cement mortars tend to decrease in curing conditions, III-C, IV-B, V-A order, and decrease with increasing polymer cement ratios. It is concluded that polymer cement ratio of 10 to 15% are considered optimum for the preparation of such polymer cement mortars.

• Composites Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.122-127
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• 2018

Sandwich composites of carbon fiber reinforced plastic(CFRP) and polymer foam will be used to automobile and aerospace industry according to increasing importance of light weight. In this study, mechanical and heat resistance properties of sandwich composites were compared with type of polymer foam (polyethylene terephthalate(PET), polyvinylchloride(PVC), epoxy and polyurethane). All types of polymer foams were degraded to 30, 60, 120, 180 minutes in $180^{\circ}C$. After heat degradation, the polymer foams were observed using optical microscope and compressive test was performed using universal testing machine(UTM). Epoxy foam had the highest compressive property to 2.6 MPa and after thermal degradation, the mechanical property and structure of foam were less changed than others. Epoxy foam had better mechanical properties than other polymer foams under high temperature. Because the epoxy foam was post cured under high temperature. As the results, Epoxy foam was optimal materials to apply to structures that thermal energy was loaded constantly.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.599-604
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• 2005

The hyaluronic acid (HA) with excellent biocompatibility has been combined with lactide, the ester dimer of polylactide, with good biodegradability to produce biocompatible materials which can control the period of degradation in a human body. By freeze frying method, HA and lactide were crosslinked with crosslinking agent, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC). Degree of lactide and EDC reaction was determined by the analysis of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Both lactyl group and EDC conversion increased as the mole ratio of lactide to HA increased from 5 to 13. The membrane swelled less and became more brittle with the more addition of lactyl group resulting from the higher mole ratio of lactide to HA. Swelling ratio decreased and tensile modulus increased due to the more addition of lactyl group as the EDC concentration increased or reaction temperature decreased. Drug release experiment from various membranes with different degree of crosslinking showed that permeability decreased with increasing degree of crosslinking. The degradation became slower with the more addition of lactyl group. Mechanical property and degradation rate of the synthesized membrane were shown to be controlled through adjusting operation parameters such as mole ratio, temperature, and crosslinking agent concentration.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2010.11a
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• pp.86.2-86.2
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• 2010

In order to improve polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) durability, the durability of membrane electrode assemblies (MEA), in which the electrochemical reactions actually occur, is one of the vital issues. Many articles have dealt with catalyst layer degradation of the durability-related factors on MEAs in relation to loss of catalyst surface area caused by agglomeration, dissolution, migration, formation of metal complexes and oxides, and/or instability of the carbon support. Degradation of catalyst layer during long-term operation includes cracking or delamination of the layer which result either from change in the catalyst microstructure or loss of electronic or ionic contact with the active surface, can result in apparent activity loss in the catalyst layer. Membrane degradation of the durability-related factors on MEAs can be caused by mechanical or thermal stress resulting in formation of pinholes and tears and/or by chemical attack of hydrogen peroxide radicals formed during the electrochemical reactions. All of these effects, the mechanical damage of membrane and degradation of catalyst layers are more facilitated by uneven stress or improper MEA fabrication process. In order to improve the PEMFC durability, therefore, it is most important to minimize the uneven stress or improper MEA fabrication process in the course of the fabrication of MEA. We analyzed the effects of the MEA fabrication condition on the PEMFC durability with MEA produced using CCM (catalyst coated membrane) method. This paper also investigated the effects of MEA fabrication condition on the PEMFC durability by adding additional treatment process, hot pressing and pressing, on the MEA produced using CCM method.

• Clean Technology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.191-200
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• 2011

Natural polymers, biopolymers, and synthetic polymers based on renewable resources are the basis for the 21th portfolio of sustainable and eco-friendly plastics but high-volume consumable plastics continue to be dominated by nondegradable petroleum-based materials. Three factors have recently made biodegradable polymers economically attractive: (i) rising costs of petroleum production resulting from the depletion of the most easily accessible reserves, (ii) environmental and economic concerns associated with waste plastics, and (iii) emissions of carbon dioxide from preparation of petroleum-based materials. These pressures have driven commercial applications based on biodegradable polymers which are related to reduction of carbon dioxide in processing, such poly(hydroxy alkanoate) and poly (lactide). Since initial degradation of these polymers leads to catastrophic mechanical failure, it is necessary to control the rate of initial degradation for commercial applications. In this article, we have a critic review on the recent progress of polymer modification for the control of degradation.