• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.6-14
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• 2008

Polypropylene (PP)-layered silicate nanocomposites were developed using a new processing method involving a supercritical carbon dioxide ($scCO_2$)-assisted co-rotating twin-screw extrusion process. The nanocomposites were prepared through two step extrusion processes. In the first step, the PP/clay mixture was extruded with $CO_2$ injected into the barrel of the extruder and the resulting foamed extrudate was cooled and pelletized. In the second step, the foamed extrudate was extruded with venting to produce the final PP/clay nanocomposites without $CO_2$. In this study, organophilic-clay and polypropylene matrix were used. Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA) was used as a compatibilizer. This study focused on the effect of $scCO_2$ on the dispersion characteristics of the clays into a PP matrix and the rheological properties of the layered silicate based PP nanocomposites. The dispersion properties of clays in the nanocomposites as well as the rheological properties of the nanocomposites were examined as a function of the PP-g-MA concentration. The degree of dispersion of the clays in the nanocomposites was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope. Various rheological properties of the nanocomposites were measured using a rotational rheometer. In the experimental results, the $scCO_2$ assisted continuous manufacturing extrusion system was used to successfully produce the organophilic-clay filled PP nanocomposites. It was found that $scCO_2$ had a measurable effect on the clay dispersion in the polymer matrix and the melt intercalation of a polymer into clay layers.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.2279-2282
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• 2010

In this work, the electrical and thermal properties of polyimide/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) nanocomposites were investigated. The polyimide/MWNT nanocomposites contained from 0 to 2.0 wt % of MWNT. The electrical properties of the polyimide films were characterized by a specific resistance measurement. The thermal properties were evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). It was found that the thermal properties of the polyimide nanocomposites increased with increasing MWNT content and specific resistance as well. This result indicated that the crosslinking of polyimide/MWNT nanocomposites was enhanced by good distribution of the MWNT in the polyimide resins, resulting in the increase of the electrical and thermal properties of the nanocomposites.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.289-296
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• 2005

Biodegradable nanocomposites were prepared by mixing a polymer resin and layered silicates by the melt intercalation method. Internal structure of the nanocomposite was characterized by using the small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Nanocomposites having exfoliated and intercalated structures were obtained by employing two different organically modified nanoclays. Rheological properties in shear and extensional flows and biodegradability of nanocomposites were measured. In shear flow, shear thinning behavior and increased storage modulus were observed as the clay loading increased. In extensional flow, strain hardening behavior was observed in well dispersed system. Nanocomposites with the exfoliated structure had better biodegradability than nanocomposites with the intercalated structure or pure polymer.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.239-251
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• 2016

The potential of nanocomposites have been drawing the intention of the researchers from energy storage to electrical insulation applications. Nanocomposites are known to improve dielectric properties, such as the increase in dielectric breakdown strength, suppressing the partial discharge (PD) as well as space charge, and prolonging the treeing, etc. In this review, different theories have been established to explain the reactions at the interaction zone of polymer matrix and nanofiller; the characterization methods of nanocomposites are also presented. Furthermore, the remarkable findings in the fields of epoxy, cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), polypropylene and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) nanocomposites are reviewed. In this study, it was observed that there is lack of comparison between results of lab scale specimens and actual field aged cables. Also, non-standardization of the preparation methods and processing parameters lead to changes in the polymer structure and its surface degradation. However, on the positive side, recent attempt of 250 kV XLPE nanocomposite HVDC cables in service may deliver a promising performance in the coming years. Moreover, materials such as self-healing polymer nanocomposites may emerge as substitutes to traditional insulations.

• Proceedings of the Korean Fiber Society Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.195-197
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• 2003

Polymer layered silicate nanocomposite has become an important area of polymer research becaues of its predominant properties in mechanical and thermal properties. Polymer layered silicate nanocomposites show outstanding improvements in tensile strength and modulus, heat distortion temperature, gas and liquid permeability, solvent resistance, and so on. But These improved properties are realized only when silicate particles are well dispersed in polymer matrix. (omitted)

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.287-294
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• 2012

ZnAl-LDH(layered double hydroxide) (Zn:Al=2:1 mole ratio) modified with stearic acid (SA) or oleic acid (OA) was synthesized by a coprecipitation method and compounded to SAN polymer at various contents. All the SAN composites were manufactured by a co-rotating twin-screw extruder and subsequently injection molded into several specimen. Morphology, transparency, and thermal resistance of these composites were evaluated by TEM, XRD(X-ray diffractometry), UV-Vis spectrophotometry, and thermogravimetric analysis. SAN nanocomposites containing OA-$Zn_2Al$ LDH showed better optical transmittance than SAN nanocomposites containing SA-$Zn_2Al$ LDH. All the SAN nanocomposites containing OA-$Zn_2Al$ LDH or SA-$Zn_2Al$ LDH exhibited improvement of thermal resistance at second stage of thermal oxidation. These results were explained by the fact that the interaction between organic modifier and polymer performed an important role in the property improvement of polymer nanocomposites.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.367-367
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• 2006

With poly (ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) ionomer (i.e. Surlyn) as a compatibilizer, PP/organoclay (Cloisite(R)20A) nanocomposites were prepared via melt compounding in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder. For comparison, the widely used PP-g-MA was also used as a reference. The content of organoclay was fixed at 5phr based on the total weight of polymer resins. The structures of nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, rheometry in small amplitude oscillatory shear, SEM, and TEM, respectively. It was found that PP/Surlyn/OMMT nanocomposites displayed higher intercalation degree and better dispersion effect than the corresponding PP/PP-g-MA/OMMT counterpart. Additionally, their mechanical properties and wettability were measured.

• International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.63-65
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• 2008

The increased interest in reducing the environmental effects caused by releasing organic compounds and aqueous waste has motivated the development of polymeric materials in supercritical fluids. Recently, supercritical fluids have been used in material synthesis and processing because of their special properties, such as high diffusivity, low viscosity, and low surface tension. Supercritical carbon dioxide is the most attractive because it is non-toxic, non-flammable, and has moderate critical temperature and critical pressure values. Supercritical carbon dioxide can also swell most polymers. In this study, we prepared polymer/clay nanocomposites using supercritical fluids. Cloisites 10A, 15A, 25A, and 30B used in this study are montmorillonites modified with a quaternary ammonium salt. The nanocomposites of polymer/clay were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.215-216
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• 2007

Semiconducting layers are thin rubber film between electrical cable wire and insulating polymer layers having a volume resistivity of ${\sim}10^2{\Omega}cm$. A new semiconducting material was suggested in this study based on the carbon nanotube(CNT)-reinforced polymer nanocomposites. CNT-reinforced polymer nanocomposites were prepared by solution mixing with various polymer type and dual filler system. The mechanical, thermal and electrical properties were investigated as a function of polymer type and dual filler system based on CNT and carbon black. The volume resistivity of composites was strongly related with the crystallinity of polymer matrix. With decreased crystallinity, the volume resistivity decreased linearly until a critical point, and it remained constant with further decreasing the crystallinity. Dual filler system also affected the volume resistivity. The CNT-reinforced nanocomposite showed the lowest volume resistivity. When a small amount of carbon black(CB) was replaced the CNT, the crystallinity increased considerably leading to a higher volume resistivity.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.347-352
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• 2008

High impact polystyrene (HIPS) nanocomposites with organically modified montmorillonite (organoclay) via in situ polymerization were synthesized, and the effects of organoclay incorporation on material properties were investigated. Organoclays having a reactive group, vinylbenzyltrimethyl clay (VBC) and octadecylvinylbenzyldimethyl clay (ODVC), were prepared by the ion-exchange reactions of sodium montmorillonite with vinylbenzyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (VBTMAC) and octadecylvinylbenzyldimethyl ammonium bromide (ODVBDAB), respectively, and a commercial organoclay, $Cloisite^{(R)}$ 10A(C10A), was used for comparison. It was confirmed that the X-ray diffraction (XRD) peak of the nanocomposites prepared by ODVC disappeared, which indicates the exfoliation of silicate layers. On the contrary, the XRD peak of the nanocomposites prepared by C10A shifted to lower angle, indicative of the intercalation of polymer chains into silicate layers. Rheological properties such as storage modulus and complex viscosity increased with increasing organoclay.