• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 2011

In order to maximize the performance of polymer nano-composites, it is essential to understand an effect of a dispersion state on material properties as well as to achieve highly dispersed composites. In this work, a simple quantitative approach to evaluate the degree of dispersion was suggested for carbon nanotube (CNT) embedded polymer nano-composites. Through UV-visible spectroscopy analysis, the transmittance of nano-composites was measured at various dispersion states and it was found that the transmittance reduced as the dispersion state of CNT improved. Based on the results, an effective concentration factor for quantitative evaluation of dispersion state was introduced into the Beer-Lambert transmittance law. The proposed method and parameter to evaluate the degree of dispersion were verified by analyzing the transmittances at different dispersion states of CNT, concentrations of CNT and sample thicknesses.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.15-18
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• 2004

Nondestructive damage sensing and mechanical properties for thermal treated carbon nanotube(CNT) and nanofiber(CNF)/epoxy composites were investigated using electro-micromechanical technique. Carbon black (CB) was used only for the comparison. Electro-micromechanical techniques were applied to obtain the fiber damage and stress transferring effect of carbon nanocomposites with their contents. Thermal treatment and temperature affected on apparent modulus and electrical properties on nanocomposites due to enhanced inherent properties of each CNMs. Coefficient of variation (COV) of volumetric electrical resistance can be used to obtain the dispersion degree indirectly for various CNMs. Dispersion and surface modification are very important parameters to obtain improved mechanical and electrical properties of CNMs for multifunctional applications. Further optimized functionalization and dispersion conditions will be investigated for the following work continuously.

• Carbon letters
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.86-92
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• 2015

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/polycarbonate (PC) nanocomposite was prepared by direct melt mixing to investigate the effect of the shear rate on the surface resistivity of the nanocomposites. In this study, an experiment was carried out to observe the shear induced orientation of the MWCNT in the polymer matrix using a very simple melt flow indexer with various loads. The compression-molded, should be eliminated. MWCNT/PC nanocomposite sample exhibited lower percolation thresholds (at 0.8 vol%) and higher electrical conductivity values than those of samples extruded by capillary and injection molding. Shear induced orientation of MWCNT was observed via scanning electron microscopy, in the direction of flow in a PC matrix during the extrusion process. The surface resistivity rose with increasing shear rate, because of the breakdown of the network junctions between MWCNTs. For real applications such as injection molding and the extrusion process, the amount of the MWCNT in the composite should be carefully selected to adjust the electrical conductivity.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2017

Despite the exceptional mechanical properties of individual carbon nanotubes (CNTs), the effective properties of CNT-reinforced composites remain below expectations. The composite's microstructure has been identified as a key factor in explaining this discrepancy. In this contribution, a method for generating representative volume elements of aligned CNT sheets is presented. The model captures material characteristics such as random waviness and entanglement of individual nanotubes. Thus it allows studying microstructural effects on the composite's effective properties. Simulations investigating the strengthening effect of the application of a pre-stretch on the CNTs are carried out and found to be in very good agreement with experimental values. They highlight the importance of the nanotube's waviness and entanglement for the mechanical behavior of the composite. The presented representative volume elements are the first to accurately capture the waviness and entanglement of CNT sheets for realistically high volume fractions.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.315-326
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• 2017

In this work, thermoelastic dynamic behavior of functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) cylinders subjected to mechanical pressure loads, uniform temperature environment or thermal gradient loads is investigated by a mesh-free method. The material properties and thermal stress wave propagation of the nanocomposite cylinders are derived after solving of the transient thermal equation and obtaining of the time history of temperature field of the cylinders. The nanocomposite cylinders are made of a polymer matrix and wavy single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The volume fraction of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are assumed variable along the radial direction of the axisymmetric cylinder. Also, material properties of the polymer and CNT are assumed temperature-dependent and mechanical properties of the nanocomposite are estimated by a micro mechanical model in volume fraction form. In the mesh-free analysis, moving least squares shape functions are used to approximate temperature and displacement fields in the weak form of motion equation and transient thermal equation, respectively. Also, transformation method is used to impose their essential boundary conditions. Effects of waviness, volume fraction and distribution pattern of CNT, temperature of environment and direction of thermal gradient loads are investigated on the thermoelastic dynamic behavior of FG-CNTRC cylinders.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.198-203
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• 2004

Composite films were prepared by casting the solution of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and single wall nanotube (SWNT) in DMF subsequent to sonication. The SWNTs in the films are well dispersed as ropes with 20-30 nm thickness. Moreover, AFM surface image of the composite film displays an interwoven fibrous structure of nanotubes which may give rise to conductive passways and lead to high conductivity. The polarized Raman spectroscopy is an ideal characterization technique for identification and the orientation study of SWNT. The well-defined G-peak intensity at 1580 $cm^{-1}$shows a dependency on the draw ratio under cross-Nicol. The degree of nanotube orientation in the drawn film was measurable from the sine curve obtained by rotating the drawn film on the plane of cross-Nicol of polarized Raman microscope. The threshold loading of SWNT for electrical conductivity in PAN is found to be lower than 1 wt% in the composite film. The electrical conductivity of the SWNT/PAN composite film decreased with increasing of draw ratio due to the collapse of the interwoven fibrous network of the nanotubes with uniaxial orientation.

• Composites Research
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2019

Although carbon nanotubes(CNTs) have outstanding theoretical mechanical and electrical properties, CNT fibers(CNTFs) have not yet reached that level. Particularly, tensile strength is only about 10% or less, so studies for making up for it are being actively conducted. As a way for improving mechanical strength, methods such as synthesizing long CNT, orientation, chemical cross-linking, hydrogen bonding and polymer infiltration are being studied. In this review paper, we report preparation methods for highly conductive and strong CNTF/Carbon composites through coating and infiltration followed by carbonization of carbon precursor polymers such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and polydopamine (PDA) on CNTFs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.297.2-297.2
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• 2016

Photoacoustic generation of ultrasound is an effective approach for development of high-frequency and high-amplitude ultrasound transmitters. This requires an efficient energy converter from optical input to acoustic output. For such photoacoustic conversion, various light-absorbing materials have been used such as metallic coating, dye-doped polymer composite, and nanostructure composite. These transmitters absorb laser pulses with 5-10 ns widths for generation of tens-of-MHz frequency ultrasound. The short optical pulse leads to rapid heating of the irradiated region and therefore fast thermal expansion before significant heat diffusion occurs to the surrounding. In this purpose, nanocomposite thin films containing gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), or carbon nanofibers have been recently proposed for high optical absorption, efficient thermoacosutic transfer, and mechanical robustness. These properties are necessary to produce a high-amplitude ultrasonic output under a low-energy optical input. Here, we investigate carbon nanotube (CNT)-polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite transmitters and their nanostructure-originated characteristics enabling extraordinary energy conversion. We explain a thermoelastic energy conversion mechanism within the nanocomposite and examine nanostructures by using a scanning electron microscopy. Then, we measure laser-induced damage threshold of the transmitters against pulsed laser ablation. Particularly, laser-induced damage threshold has been largely overlooked so far in the development of photoacoustic transmitters. Higher damage threshold means that transmitters can withstand optical irradiation with higher laser energy and produce higher pressure output proportional to such optical input. We discuss an optimal design of CNT-PDMS composite transmitter for high-amplitude pressure generation (e.g. focused ultrasound transmitter) useful for therapeutic applications. It is fabricated using a focal structure (spherically concave substrate) that is coated with a CNT-PDMS composite layer. We also introduce some application examples of the high-amplitude focused transmitter based on the CNT-PDMS composite film.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.486-491
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• 2014

We have been fabricated Thin-walled carbon nanotubes (TWNTs)/amine epoxy additives composite using Eco-friendly solvent system such as supercritical process and dry mixed process. TWNTs/amine epoxy additives composite has used as a curing agent for urethane based bisphenol A type epoxy resin. The thermo-mechanical property of the epoxy resin cured by TWNTs/amine epoxy additives composite is characterized by dynamic mechanical analysis(DMA) and dispersability of the nanotubes in the epoxy matrix is also confirmed by scanning electron microscope(SEM). As a results, the epoxy resin cured by TWNTs/amine epoxy additives composite with supercritical process shows enhanced dispersability of the TWNTs in the matrix and thermo-mechanical property when compare to dry mixed process.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.217-231
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• 2016

The present work aims to develop piezoresistive sensors of excellent piezoresistive response attributable to change in nanoscale structures of multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWNT) embedded in cement. MWNT was distributed in a cement matrix by means of polymer wrapping method in tandem with the ultrasonication process. DC conductivity of the prepared samples exhibited the electrical percolation behavior and therefore the dispersion method adopted in this study was deemed effective. The integrity of piezoresistive response of the sensors was assessed in terms of stability, the maximum electrical resistance change rate, and sensitivity. A composite sensor with MWNT 0.2 wt.% showed the lowest stability and sensitivity, while the maximum electrical resistance change rate exhibited by this sample was the highest (96 %) among others and even higher than those found in the literature. This observation was presumably attributed by the percolation threshold and the tunneling effect. As a result of the MWNT content (0.2 wt.%) of the sensor being near the percolation threshold (0.25 wt.%), MWNTs were close to each other to trigger tunneling in response of external loading. The sensor with MWNT 0.2 wt.% was able to maintain the repeatable sensing capability while sustaining a vehicular loading on road, demonstrating the feasibility in traffic flow sensing application.