• Macromolecular Research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.384-390
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• 2004

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have been chemically modified through the formation of carboxylic acid functionalities or by grafting octadecylamine and polystyrene onto them. We purified SWNTs with nitric acid to remove some remaining catalysts and amorphous carbon materials. After purification, we broke the carbon nanotubes and shortened their lengths by using a 3:1 mixture of concentrated sulfuric acid and nitric acid. During these purification and cutting processes, carboxylic acid units formed at the open ends of the SWNTs. Octa-decylamine and amino-terminated polystyrene were grafted onto the cut SWNTs by condensation reactions between the amine and carboxylic acid units. The cut SWNTs did not disperse in organic solvents, but the octadecylamine-grafted and polystyrene-grafted SWNTs dispersed well in dichloromethane and aromatic solvents (e.g., benzene, toluene). Composites were prepared by mixing polystyrene with the octadecylamine-grafted or polystyrene-grafted SWNTs. Each composite had a higher dynamic storage modulus than that of a pristine polystyrene. The composites exhibited enhanced storage moduli, complex viscosities, and unusual non-terminal behavior when compared with a monodisperse polystyrene matrix because of the good dispersion of carbon nanotubes in the polystyrene matrix.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.160-166
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• 2007

Novel multiblock copolymers, based on segmented sulfonated hydrophilic-hydrophobic blocks, were synthesized and investigated for their application as proton exchange membranes. A series of segmented sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)-b-polyimide multiblock copolymers, with various block lengths, were synthesized via the coupling reaction between the terminal amine moieties on the hydrophilic blocks and naphthalene anhydride functionalized hydrophobic blocks. Successful imidization reactions required a mixed solvent system, comprised of NMP and m-cresol, in the presence of catalysts. Proton conductivity measurements revealed that the proton conductivity improved with increasing hydrophilic and hydrophobic block lengths. The morphological structure of the multiblock copolymers was investigated using tapping mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM). The AFM images of the copolymers demonstrated well-defined nanophase separated morphologies, with the changes in the block length having a pronounced effect on the phase separated morphologies of the system. The self diffusion coefficient of water, as measured by $^1H$ NMR, provided a better understanding of the transport process. Thus, the block copolymers showed higher values than Nafion, and comparable proton conductivities in liquid water, as well as under partially hydrated conditions at $80^{\circ}C$. The new materials are strong candidates for use in PEM systems.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2013

A family of Cr(III) complexes supported on tridentate dibenzimidazolyl ligands having a general formula: $[N(CH_3)(CH_2)_2(Bm-R)_2]CrCl_3$ [where Bm = benzimidazolyl, R = H (3a); -Me(3b); -Bn (3c)] have been synthesized and utilized them for the trans-1,4-specific polymerizations of 1,3-butadiene (BD), activated with methylalumoxane (MAO). The activity of BD polymerizations was sensitive to the type of ligand on the Cr metal, so that the activity decreases in the order of 3a > 3c > 3b. All the catalysts combined with MAO yielded polybutadienes with perfect trans-1,4 structure with moderate molecular weight.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.920-926
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• 1997

The catalytic glycolysis process is the method of chemical recycling where the polyol and carbamate compounds recovered by transesterification reaction are reused to produce new polyurethane foams. In this work, ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, and 1,4-butanediol were used to decompose polyurethane foams and various metallic acetates were provided as catalysts. The catalytic glycolsis of polyurethane foams was taken place in the reaction temperature of $180{\sim}200^{\circ}C$. The reaction rates of catalytic glycolysis reaction were indicated by the viscosity of the reaction products at different reaction times. IR and GPC analysis showed the types and the molecular weight distributions of the products. The catalytic glycolysis was profitable for using ethyleneglycol at high temperature. The activities of the catalysts are suitable for K, Na, Tl acetate, and the products are composed of comparatively high-contained amine compounds and carbamate compounds. In the case of Sr acetate and Quinoline, the reaction rate was somewhat low. However, the content of polyol was high and the content of the side-products was low. The foams which were prepared by blending up to 20wt% of recovered polyol with virgin polyols showed better physical properties in tensile strength, hardness, tear strength, and compressive strength compared to those of polyurethane foams from virgin polyol.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.532-537
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• 2011

Thermally stable $TiO_2$/Pt/$SiO_2$ core-shell nanocatalyst has been synthesized by chemical processes. Citrated capped Pt nanoparticles were deposited on amine functionalized silica produced by Stober process. Ultrathin layer of titania was coated on Pt/$SiO_2$ for preventing sintering of the metal nanoparticles at high temperatures. Thermal stability of the metal-oxide hybrid catalyst was demonstrated heating the sample up to $600^{\circ}C$ in air and by investigating the morphology and integrity of the structure by transmission electron spectroscopy. The surface analysis of the constituent elements was performed by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The catalytic activity of the hybrid catalysts was investigated by CO oxidation reaction with oxygen as a model reaction.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.397-400
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• 2015

The effects of surface treatment method of unreacted N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ethylenediamine (2NS), $N^1$-(3-trimethoxysilylpropyl)diethylenetriamine (3NS), and 3-cyanopropyltriethoxysilane (1NCy) after grafting on the surface of silica and of the surface treatment temperature on ethylene polymerization were investigated. The Zr content of supported catalyst employing filtering method was higher than that of washing method, and the activities of supported catalysts prepared by washing method were higher than those of filtering methods significantly. Regardless of surface treatment methods the activities were in order by $SiO_2/2NS/(n-BuCp)_2ZrCl_2>SiO_2/1NCy/(n-BuCp)_2ZrCl_2>SiO_2/3NS/(n-BuCp)_2ZrCl_2$. The ethylene polymerization activity was increased as the surface treatment temperature of aminosilane on silica increased.

• Clean Technology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.195-204
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• 2005

A new condensation process for manufacturing N-acyl taurates which generates less pollutant and produces more than 60 % yield in comparison with the conventional process has been developed in this work. Its optimum process conditions are at $210{\sim}230^{\circ}C$ of reaction temperature and 6 ~ 9 hour of reaction time when Parasol 123 of petroleum refired oil is employed as process solvent and mixed catalysts of sulfonic acid and phosphoric acid are utilized as process catalyst. And the qualities of N-acyl taurates produced by this new process are similar to or better than those of imported product judging from their acid value, amine value and color. Thus, it can be said that the newly developed process for manufacturing N-acyl taurates in this work is better than the conventional process. The physical properties of N-acyl taurates produced in this work such as surface tension, foaming power, foaming stability, hard water stability, and emulsifying power etc. were compared with those of commercially available anionic surfactants. And the experimental results show that N-acyl taurates shows good physical properties and that they can be alternative to conventional anionic surfactants.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.394-402
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• 2013

The new complex catalysts were synthesized by the reaction of titanium compounds (titanium chloride or titanium butoxide) and diamines in this work, and they showed very high catalytic activities for the cyclododecatriene (CDT) synthesis from 1,3-butadiene through trimerization. CDT synthetic reaction was performed in an autoclave reactor, and the effects of reaction temperature, type of catalyst, catalyst amount added into the system, the mole ratio of Al/Ti and immobilization method were investigated on the yield of product CDT. The titanium complex catalyst combined to diamine with 1:1 ratio showed high selectivity to CDT more than 90%. The ratio of TTT-CDT/TTC-CDT isomers in the product revealed as different values, depending on the type of diamine combined to titanium and Ti/diamine ratios. Those homogeneous complexes could be used as a heterogenized catalyst after anchoring on the supports, and the immobilized titanium catalyst retained the catalytic activities for several times in the recycled reactions without leaching. The carbon support containing titanium has exhibited superior activity to the silica support. Especially, when the titanium complex was anchored on the support which was fabricated by the hydrolysis of tripropylaminosilane itself, the resulting titanium catalyst showed the highest BD conversion and CDT selectivity.