• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.43-49
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• 2014

This study has been investigated on the durability of carbon fiber/epoxy composites (CFRP) in moisture environment. The carbon fiber/epoxy composites were modified to use the nanoparticles such as carbon nanotubes and titanium oxide. These hybrid composites were exposed to moisture environment for a certain period of time. Weight gain according to immersion time, quasi-static tensile test and micro-graphic characterization were investigated on the samples exposed to moisture environment. Consequently, the weight gains increased with increasing immersion time and weight gain of the hybrid composites was lower than the one of CFRP through the whole immersion time. The tensile strengths decreased with increasing immersion time and tensile strengths of the hybrid composites were higher than the one of CFRP through the whole immersion time. The CFRP were observed more degraded than hybrid compositess in moisture environment. Therefore, it was concluded that the addition of nanoparticles in CFRP could lead to improve the durability in moisture environment.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.333-336
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• 2012

The study to give electrical conductivity by dispersing carbon nanotubes (CNT) into silicon nitride ($Si_3N_4$) ceramics has been carried out in recent years. However, the density and the strength of $Si_3N_4$ ceramics were degraded and CNTs disappeared after firing at high temperatures because CNTs prevent $Si_3N_4$ from densification and there is a possibility that CNTs react with $Si_3N_4$ or $SiO_2$. In order to suppress the reaction and the disappearance of CNTs, lower temperature densification is needed. In this study, $HfO_2$ and $TiO_2$ was added to $Si_3N_4-Y_2O_3-Al_2O_3$-AlN system to fabricate CNT-dispersed $Si_3N_4$ ceramics at lower temperatures. $HfO_2$ promotes the densification of $Si_3N_4$ and prevents CNT from disappearance. As a result, the sample by adding $HfO_2$ and $TiO_2$ fired at lower temperatures showed higher electrical conductivity and higher bending strength. It was also shown that the mechanical and electrical properties depended on the quantity of the added CNTs.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.539-543
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• 2012

Cellulose Electro-Active Paper (EAPap) is attractive as a biomimetic actuator because of its merits: it is lightweight, operates in dry conditions, has a large displacement output, has a low actuation voltage, and has low power consumption. Cellulose is regenerated so as to align its microfibrils, which results in a piezoelectric paper. When chemically bonded and mixed with carbon nanotubes, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxides, the cellulose EAPap can be used as a hybrid nanocomposite that has versatile properties and that can meet the requirements of many application devices. This paper presents trends in recent research on the cellulose EAPap, mainly on material preparation and its use in devices, including biosensors, chemical sensors, flexible transistors, and actuators. This paper also explains wirelessly driving technology for the cellulose EAPap, which is attractive for use in biomimetic robotics and micro-aerial vehicles.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2020

In membrane bioreactor (MBR), activated sludge degrade the biological component and membrane process separate this bacterial flocks as well the suspended solids. However, membrane fouling is one of the major issues in MBR. In this review, composite membrane used in MBR to overcome fouling is discussed. It is classified into membrane containing carbon and noncarbon materials. Introducing graphene, graphene oxide (GO) and carbon nanotubes or their modified part into pristine membrane enhance hydrophilicity of the composite membrane. Inorganic materials like silicon dioxide (SiO₂) or titanium dioxide (TiO₂) are also incorporated for preparing composite membrane to increase its water flux.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.198-203
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• 2013

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on titanium dioxide ($TiO_2$) have been extensively studied because of their promising low-cost alternatives to conventional semiconductor based solar cells. DSSCs consist of molecular dye at the interface between a liquid electrolyte and a mesoporous wide-bandgap semiconductor oxide. Most efforts for high conversion efficiencies have focused on dye and liquid electrolytes. However, interface engineering between dye and electrode is also important to reduce recombination and improve efficiency. In this work, for interface engineering, we deposited semiconducting ferroelectric $BiFeO_3$ with bandgap of 2.8 eV on $TiO_2$ nanoparticles and nanotubes. Photovoltaic properties of DSSCs were characterized as a function of thickness of $BiFeO_3$. We showed that ferroelectric $BiFeO_3$-coated $TiO_2$ electrodes enable to increase overall efficiency of DSSCs, which was associated with efficient electron transport due to internal electric field originating from electric polarization. It was suggested that engineering the dye-$TiO_2$ interface using ferroelectric materials as inorganic modifiers can be key parameter for enhanced photovoltaic performance of the cell.