• Elastomers and Composites
• /
• v.58 no.1
• /
• pp.32-43
• /
• 2023

The worldwide use of polyurethane foam products generates large amounts of waste, which in turn has detrimental effects on the surroundings. Hence, finding an economical and environmentally friendly way to dispose of or recycle foam waste is an utmost priority for researchers to overcome this problem. In that sense, the glycolysis of waste flexible polyurethane foam (WFPF) from automotive seat cushions using different industrial-grade glycols and potassium hydroxide as a catalyst to produce recovered polyol was investigated. The effect of different molecular weight polyols, catalyst concentration, and material ratio (PU foam: Glycols) on the reaction conversion and viscosity of the recovered polyols was determined. The obtained recovered polyols are obtained as single or split-phase reaction products. Besides, the foaming characteristics and physical properties such as cell morphology, thermal stability, and compressive stress-strain nature of the regenerated flexible foams based on the recovered polyols were discussed. It was observed that the regenerated flexible foams displayed good seating comfort properties as a function of hardness, sag factor, and hysteresis loss compared to the reference virgin foam. With the growing demand for a sustainable and circular economy, a global valorization of glycolysis products from polyurethane scraps can be realized by transforming them into profitable substances.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.117-125
• /
• 2023

This paper proposes a new finite element formulation based on enhanced first-order shear deformation theory including the transverse normal strain effect via the mixed formulation (EFSDTM-TN) for the effective thermo-mechanical analysis of laminated composite structures. The main objective of the EFSDTM-TN is to provide an accurate and efficient solution in describing the thermo-mechanical behavior of laminated composite structures by systematically establishing the relationship between two independent fields (displacement and transverse stress fields) via the mixed formulation. Another key feature is to consider the thermal strain effect without additional unknown variables by introducing a refined transverse displacement field. In the finite element formulation, an eight-node isoparametric plate element is newly developed to implement the advantage of the EFSDTM-TN. Numerical solutions for the thermo-mechanical behavior of laminated composite structures are compared with those available in the open literature to demonstrate the numerical performance of the proposed finite element model.

• Wind and Structures
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.289-302
• /
• 2023

Insulating glass units (IGUs) have been widely used in buildings in recent years due to their superior thermal insulation performance. However, because of the panel reciprocating motion and fatigue deterioration of sealants under long-term wind loads, many IGUs have the problem of early failure of watertight properties in real usage. This study aimed to propose a statistical method for wind-induced deflection of IGU panels during the whole life service period, for further precise analysis of the accumulated fatigue damage at the sealed part of the edge bond. By the estimation of the wind occurrence regularity based on wind pressure return period, the events of each wind speed interval during the whole life were obtained for the IGUs at 50m height in Beijing, which are in good agreement with the measured data. Also, the wind-induced deflection analysis method of IGUs based on the formula of airspace coefficient was proposed and verified as an improvement of the original stiffness distribution method with the average relative error compared to the test being about 3% or less. Combining the two methods above, the deformation of the outer and inner panes under wind loads during 30 years was precisely calculated, and the deflection and stress state at selected locations were obtained finally. The results show that the compression displacement at the secondary sealant under the maximum wind pressure is close to 0.3mm (strain 2.5%), and the IGUs are in tens of thousands of times the low amplitude tensile-compression cycle and several times to dozens of times the relatively high amplitude tensile-compression cycle environment. The approach proposed in this paper provides a basis for subsequent studies on the durability of IGUs and the wind-resistant behaviors of curtain wall structures.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.344-351
• /
• 2023

The use of Zn-Al-Mg alloy coatings for enhancing the corrosion resistance of steel sheets is gaining prominence over traditional Zn coatings. There is a growing demand for the development of thermal spray wires made from Zn-Al-Mg alloys, as a replacement for the existing wires produced using Al and Zn. This is particularly crucial to secure corrosion resistance and durability in the damaged areas of coated steel sheets caused by deformation and welding. This study focuses on the casting and extrusion processes of Zn-2Al-1Mg alloy for the fabrication of such spray wires and analyzes the changes in microstructure during the extrusion process. The Zn-2Al-1Mg alloy, cast in molds, was subjected to a heat treatment at 250 ℃ for 3 hours prior to extrusion. The extrusion process was carried out by heating both the material and the mold up to 300 ℃. Microstructural analysis was conducted using FE-SEM and EDS to differentiate each phase. The mechanical properties of the cast specimen were evaluated through compression tests at temperatures ranging from 200 to 300 ℃, with strain rates of 0.1 to 5 sec^-1. Vickers hardness testing was utilized to assess the inhomogeneity of mechanical properties in the radial direction of the extruded material. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was employed to understand the inhomogeneity in stress and strain distribution during extrusion, which aids in understanding the impact of heterogeneous deformation on the microstructure during the process.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
• /
• v.26 no.6_3
• /
• pp.1297-1303
• /
• 2023

Research on enhancing the mechanical strength, lightweight properties, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity of composite materials by incorporating nano-materials is actively underway. Thermoplastic resins can change their form under heat, making them highly processable and recyclable. In this study, Polyamide-Nylon 6 (PA6), a thermoplastic resin, was utilized, and as reinforcing agents, fused carbon nano-materials (FCN) formed by structurally combining Carbon Nanotube(CNT) and Graphene were employed. Nano-materials often face challenges related to cohesion and dispersion. To address this issue, Silane functional groups were introduced to enhance the dispersion of FCN in PA6. The manufacturing conditions for the composite materials involved determining the use of a dispersant and varying FCN content at 0.05 wt%, 0.1 wt%, and 0.2 wt%. Tensile strength measurements were conducted, and FE-SEM analysis was performed on fracture surfaces. As a result of the tensile strength test, it was confirmed that compared to pure PA6, the strength of the polymer composite with a content of 0.05 wt% was improved by about 60%, for 0.1 wt%, about 65%, and for 0.2 wt%, the strength was improved by 50%. Also, when compared according to the content of FCN, the best strength value was shown when 0.1 wt% was added. The elastic modulus also showed an improvement of about 15% in the case of surface treatment compared to the case without surface treatment, and an improvement of about 70% compared to pure PA6. Through FE-SEM, it was confirmed that the matrix material and silane-modified nanomaterial improved the dispersibility and bonding strength of the interface, helping to support the load evenly and enabling effective stress transfer.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.589-602
• /
• 2024

Thermoelectric generator (TEG) generally do not have high heat conversion efficiencies. The performance of a thermoelectric generator module depends on the shape of the legs as well as the properties of the material and the number of legs. In this study, the leg shapes of thermoelectric elements are modeled into various geometric structures such as cylinder and cube shaped to efficiently harvest waste heat, and the electrical characteristics are compared numerically. The temperature gradient and power generation according to the bridge shape are found to be highest at the existing Cube shape. As a result of comparing the power generation using the cooling effect, the Cone shape was the highest in natural convection and the Hourglass shape was highest in forced convection. Research results confirm that geometry can affect the efficiency of thermoelectric generators.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.56 no.1
• /
• pp.195-206
• /
• 2024

Shenzhen Innovation Light source Facility (SILF) is a 3.0 GeV fourth generation diffraction limited synchrotron light source currently under construction in Shenzhen. The SILF storage ring is proposed to use two 500 MHz single cell superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities to provide 2.4 MV RF voltage. In this study, we examined the geometric structure of mature CESR superconducting cavities and adopted a beam-pipe-type extraction scheme for high-order modes (HOM). One of the objectives of SRF cavity design and optimization in this study is to reduce E_p/E_acc and B_p/E_acc as much as possible to reduce power loss and ensure stable operation of the cavity. To reduce the risk of beam instability and thermal breakdown, the HOM and Multipacting (MP) are simulated. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the cavity are analyzed, including frequency sensitivity from pressure of liquid helium (LHe), stress, tuning, Lorentz force detuning (LFD), the microphone effect, and buckling. By comprehensive design and optimization of 500 MHz single-cell SRF cavities, a superconducting cavity for SILF storage ring was developed. This paper will detailed present the design and simulation.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.146-154
• /
• 2024

In this paper, we present a convenient liquid crystal (LC) molecular alignment method using brush hairs as an alternative to the rubbing process in the LC display industry. Titanium strontium yttrium zirconium oxide (TiSrYZrO) solution was prepared using a sol-gel process, and the TiSrYZrO alignment film production and LC molecular alignment were integrated through a one-step brush coating process. As the curing temperature increased, the LC molecule alignment of the LC cell improved, and the formation of a physical surface anisotropic structure due to the shear stress caused by the movement of the brush hairs on the coating surface led to uniform alignment of the LC molecules. Uniform and homogeneous LC molecular alignment was confirmed through polarizing optical microscopy and pretilt angle measurement. Through thermal oxidation using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, the TiSrYZrO thin film well formed of metal oxide was confirmed and verified to have excellent optical transparency. From these results, it is expected that a convenient LC molecular alignment method using brush hairs as an alternative to the rubbing process will be a viable next-generation technology.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.52 no.2
• /
• pp.266-271
• /
• 2014

The effects of antioxidants on the properties of Polycarbonate/Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene(PC/ABS) blends were studied for the functions of the screw speed and loaded duration of high shear rate processing in order to investigate the degradation for PC/ABS blends. Tris-(2,4-di-tert-butyl-phenyl phosphate) (A1) and Bis(2,4-dicumylphenyl) pentaerythritol diphosphite (A3) as phosphite antioxidants and Octadecyl 3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate (A2) as a phenolic antioxidant are used. The thermal properties were detected by TGA and severely decreased, after the processing. The stress-induced and thermal degradation for PC/ABS blends with the antioxidant A3 was retarded better than the others. By using UTM, the mechanical properties also showed individually decreased according to the antioxidants, after the processing, especially, the elongations showed considerable decline behaviors, while the tensile strengths of PC/ABS blends changed very little. For example, in the operating conditions of 1000rpm of screw speed and 20 seconds of loaded period, the elongations decreased from 148% before the processing, to 91.6% with the A1, to 63% with the A2 and to 131% with the A3 after the processing, respectively. In order to get the morphological properties, the size distributions of the dispersed phases for PC/ABS were investigated by SEM analysis and tended to decrease, as the screw speed and loaded period of the processing increased. Therefore, we confirmed that the antioxidant A3 was the best of all of three to inhibit the stress-induced degradation of PC/ABS blends during the high shear rate processing.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.709-734
• /
• 2001

The aims of this experiment were to investigate the strain and temperature changes simultaneously within autopolymerzing acrylic resin specimens. A computerized data acquisition system with an electrical resistance strain gauge and a thermocouple was used over time periods up to 180 minutes. The overall strain kinetics, the effects of stress relaxation and additional heat supply during the polymerization were evaluated. Stone mold replicas with an inner butt-joint rectangular cavity ($40.0{\times}25.0mm$, 5.0mm in depth) were duplicated from a brass master mold. A strain gauge (AE-11-S50N-120-EC, CAS Inc., Korea) and a thermocouple were installed within the cavity, which had been connected to a personal computer and a precision signal conditioning amplifier (DA1600 Dynamic Strain Amplifier, CAS Inc., Korea) so that real-time recordings of both polymerization-induced strain and temperature changes were performed. After each of fresh resin mixture was poured into the mold replica, data recording was done up to 180 minutes with three-second interval. Each of two poly(methyl methacrylate) products (Duralay, Vertex) and a vinyl ethyl methacrylate product (Snap) was examined repeatedly ten times. Additionally, removal procedures were done after 15, 30 and 60 minutes from the start of mixing to evaluate the effect of stress relaxation after deflasking. Six specimens for each of nine conditions were examined. After removal from the mold, the specimen continued bench-curing up to 180 minutes. Using a waterbath (Hanau Junior Curing Unit, Model No.76-0, Teledyne Hanau, New York, U.S.A.) with its temperature control maintained at $50^{\circ}C$, heat-soaking procedures with two different durations (15 and 45 minutes) were done to evaluate the effect of additional heat supply on the strain and temperature changes within the specimen during the polymerization. Five specimens for each of six conditions were examined. Within the parameters of this study the following results were drawn: 1. The mean shrinkage strains reached $-3095{\mu}{\epsilon},\;-1796{\mu}{\epsilon}$ and $-2959{\mu}{\epsilon}$ for Duralay, Snap and Vertex, respectively. The mean maximum temperature rise reached $56.7^{\circ}C,\;41.3^{\circ}C$ and $56.1^{\circ}C$ for Duralay, Snap, and Vertex, respectively. A vinyl ethyl methacrylate product (Snap) showed significantly less polymerization shrinkage strain (p<0.01) and significantly lower maximum temperature rise (p<0.01) than the other two poly(methyl methacrylate) products (Duralay, Vertex). 2. Mean maximum shrinkage rate for each resin was calculated to $-31.8{\mu}{\epsilon}/sec,\;-15.9{\mu}{\epsilon}/sec$ and $-31.8{\mu}{\epsilon}/sec$ for Duralay, Snap and Vertex, respectively. Snap showed significantly lower maximum shrinkage rate than Duralay and Vertex (p<0.01). 3. From the second experiment, some expansion was observed immediately after removal of specimen from the mold, and the amount of expansion increased as the removal time was delayed. For each removal time, Snap showed significantly less strain changes than the other two poly(methyl methacrylate) products (p<0.05). 4. During the external heat supply for the resins, higher maximum temperature rises were found. Meanwhile, the maximum shrinkage rates were not different from those of room temperature polymerizations. 5. From the third experiment, the external heat supply for the resins during polymerization could temporarily decrease or even reverse shrinkage strains of each material. But, shrinkage re-occurred in the linear nature after completion of heat supply. 6. Linear thermal expansion coefficients obtained from the end of heat supply continuing for an additional 5 minutes, showed that Snap exhibited significantly lower values than the other two poly(methyl methacrylate) products (p<0.01). Moreover, little difference was found between the mean linear thermal expansion coefficients obtained from two different heating durations (p>0.05).