• Carbon letters
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• v.19
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• pp.40-46
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• 2016

Nitrogen-atom doped graphene oxide was considered to prevent the dissolution of polysulfide and to guarantee the enhanced redox reaction of sulfur for good cycle performance of lithium sulfur cells. In this study, we used urea as a nitrogen source due to its low cost and easy preparation. To find the optimum urea content, we tested three different ratios of urea to graphene oxide. The morphology of the composites was examined by field emission scanning electron microscope. Functional groups and bonding characterization were measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Electrochemical properties were characterized by cyclic voltammetry in an organic electrolyte solution. Compared with thermally reduced graphene/sulfur (S) composite, nitrogen-doped graphene/S composites showed higher electroactivity and more stable capacity retention.

• Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
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• v.67
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• pp.276-283
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• 2018

For the first time, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) was used as an easily-handled chlorine source for preparation of isotropic pitch-based carbon fiber (IPCF) incorporating ethylene bottom oil (EO) as a raw material. Pitch precursors were prepared by the chlorination-dehydrochlorination triggered by chlorine radicals originated from PVC; aromatization and poly-condensation reactions occurred by polyene-type radicals from PVC. Radical production and co-carbonization were facilitated by pretreatments of EO through vacuum distillation, bromination, and additional heat treatment. Pitches were prepared by the co-carbonization of pretreated EO and EO containing 20 wt% PVC, and had higher yields and better spinnability than those by simple distillation.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.619-626
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• 2023

Primary and secondary amine-based sorbents were synthesized to investigate the operation capacity for the carbon dioxide separation TSA process. (3-Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane was used as a primary amine precursor as a crosslinking agent to synthesize a secondary amine precursor in which amine groups were crosslinked with a crosslinking agent. Carbon dioxide absorbed by primary amines is completely separated above 170 ℃. The working capacity of the primary amine absorbent was less than 2% when regenerated at 130℃. The secondary amine absorbent has a higher carbon dioxide separation capacity at a lower regeneration temperature than the primary amine absorbent. The secondary amine absorbent could predict process operation performance of about 6.5% with 2% carbon dioxide absorption and 100% carbon dioxide regeneration conditions. Therefore, it was found that the working capacity of the secondary amine absorbent was higher than that of the primary amine.

• Carbon letters
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 2004

The studies on activated carbon prepared from walnut shell and groundnut shell were undertaken to ascertain the effect of initial state of precursor and activation process on the development of porosity in the resulting activated carbon. Walnut shell based carbon shows the presence of cellular pores while Groundnut shell based carbon shows fibrillar pore structure. The adsorption parameters, characterization of product and scanning electron microscopic studies carried out showed the presence of mainly Micro, Meso and Macro porosity in carbon prepared from Walnut shell while mainly micro porosity was observed in Groundnut shell based activated carbon. An interrelationship between the adsorption efficiency and porosity in terms of quality control parameters, for before and after activation, was validated through the scanning electron microscopic data.

• Carbon letters
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2006

Carbon-ceramic composites were fabricated by using fly ash and PANOX fibers as reinforcement. Fly ash, because of its small size particles e.g. submicron to micron level can be effectively dispersed along with fibrous reinforcements. Phenolic resin was used as carbon precursor. Both dry as well as wet methods were used for forming composites. The resulting composites were characterized for their microstructure, thermal and mechanical properties. The microstructure and mechanical properties of composites are found to be dependent on type of the fly ash, fibrous reinforcements as well as processing parameters. The addition of fly ash improves hardness and the fibers, which get co-carbonized on heat treatment, increase the flexural strength of the carbon-ceramic composites. Composites with dual reinforcement exhibit about 30-40% higher strength as compared to the composites made with single reinforcement, either with fly ash as filler or with chopped fibers.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 2001.05a
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• pp.59-62
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• 2001

• Carbon letters
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.137-144
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• 2008

The commercial activated carbons are typically prepared by activation from coconut shell char or coal char containing lots of inorganic impurities. They also have pore structure and pore size distribution depending on nanostructure of precursor materials. In this study, two types of commercial activated carbons were applied for EDLC electrode by removing impurities with acid treatments, and controlling pore size distribution and contents of functional group with heat treatment. The effect of the surface functional groups on electrochemical performance of the activated carbon electrodes was investigated. The initial gravimetric and volumetric capacitance of coconut based activated carbon electrode which was acid treated by $HNO_3$ and then heat treated at $800^{\circ}C$ were 90 F/g and 42 F/cc respectively showing 94% of charge-discharge efficiency. Such a good electrochemical performance can be possibly applied to the medium capacitance of EDLC.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.77-87
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• 1997

PFO(pyrolized fuel oil) and $C_{10}^{+}$ oil, which are the residual heavy oils form a NCC(naphtha cracking center), were heat-treated to produce the precursor-pitch for carbon materials. After PFO was initially distilled near $300^{\circ}C$ to separate the volatile matters recovering as high-quality fuel oil, the residuum of nonvolatile precursor-pitch was then thermally pyrolized in the temperature ranges from $350^{\circ}C$ to $450^{\circ}C$. Spinnable isotropic pitch with the softening point of $200^{\circ}C$ and the toluene insolubles of 36wt% was obtained at $365^{\circ}C$, and then was successfully spun through a spinneret(0.5mm diameter). After spinning, an isotropic carbon fiber of $25{\mu}m$ diameter was obtained via oxidation and craboniation procedures. Mesophase spherules began to be observed from the product pitch pyrolized at $400^{\circ}C$, and bulk mesophase with a flow texture was observed above $420^{\circ}C$. In the case of $C_{10}^{+}$ was the feed was polymerized in the presence $H_2SO_4$ at room temperature to increase the molecular weight and then heat-treated gradually up to $200{\sim}250^{\circ}C$. The products obtained with the softening point of $80{\sim}190^{\circ}C$ were carbonized at 500 and $1000^{\circ}C$ to examine the morphology.

• Journal of Institute of Convergence Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2022

Polyacrylonitrile was synthesized through suspension polymerization and then sieved to obtain spherical beads with a size of 200~510 ㎛. PAN was copolymerized with 2 mol% MMA monomer which is known to promote cyclization and crosslinking of nitrile group. The resonance cyclization reaction of the nitrile group in the synthesized PAN beads was observed near 170℃ with thermal analysis and FT-IR. The reaction conversion of the nitrile group in spherical beads was 23% during heat treatment, which was lower than that of the well-oriented PAN fiber used as a precursor of carbon fiber. This is because the stereo-regularity of molecular chains in the form of a random coil (spherical bead) is much lower than that of PAN fiber. It was confirmed that the compressive strength of the spherical PAN bead was greatly improved through the resonance cyclization and shrinkage according to the heat treatment, and it was also observed that the pores in PAN beads were formed after the heat treatment.

• Carbon letters
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• v.24
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• pp.36-40
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• 2017

Polyacrylonitrile/pitch nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning as a precursor for a gas sensor material. Pitch nanofibers were properly fabricated by incorporating polyacrylonitrile as an electrospinning supplement component. Polyacrylonitrile/pitch nanofibers were activated with steam at various temperatures followed by subsequent carbonization to make carbon nanofibers with a highly conductive graphitic structure. Steam activation was effective in facilitating gas adsorption onto the carbon nanofibers due to the increased surface area. The carbon nanofibers activated at $800^{\circ}C$ had a larger surface area and a lower micro pore fraction resulting in a higher variation in electrical resistance for improved CO gas sensing properties.