• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2011.10a
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• pp.1.2-1.2
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• 2011

Electrohydrodynamics is a good approach to produce uniform-sized colloids and fibers in a continuous process. The dimension can be controlled from tens of nanometers to a few micrometers. The structure of the colloids and nanofibers from electrohydrodynamics has been diversified according to the uses. Especially, core-shell structure and hybridization with functional nanomaterials are fascinating due to their possible uses in drug-delivery systems, multifunctional scaffolds, organic/inorganic hybrids with new functions, and highly sensitive gas- or bio-sensors. This talk will present the structural variations in the colloids and fibers by simply employing phase separation during electrohydrodynamic process and demonstrate their possible applications.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.9 s.89
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• pp.1260-1265
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• 2007

Magnetically separable enzyme-coated nanofibers were developed for the hydrolysis of starch. Stability of ${\alpha}-amylase-coated$ nanofiber was greatly improved and its residual activity was maintained over 92.7% after 32 days incubation at room temperature and under shaking conditions (200 rpm). The recovery of enzyme was high and enzyme activity after 10 recycle was 95.2% of its original activity. Developed enzyme-coated nanofibers were used for the hydrolysis of starch. When 0.5 mg of magnetically separable enzyme nanofibers was used, 40 g/l of starch (2 ml) was completely degraded within 40 min. The continuous enzyme reactor was developed and used for starch hydrolysis and 76% of starch (30 g/l) was hydrolyzed with 1 hr residence time.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.2369-2376
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• 2011

Effect of heat treatment of carbon nanofibers (CNF) on electrical properties and crystallization behavior of polypropylene was reported. Two types of CNFs (untreated and heat treated at 2300 $^{\circ}C$) were incorporated into polypropylene (PP) using intensive mixing. A significant drop in volume resistivity was observed with composites containing untreated 5 wt % and heat treated 3 wt % CNF. In non-isothermal crystallization studies, both untreated and heat treated CNFs acted as nucleating agents. Composites with heat treated CNFs showed a higher crystallization temperature than composites with untreated CNFs did. TEM results of CNF revealed that an irregular structure of CNFs can be converted into the continuous graphitic structure after heat treatment. Furthermore, STM showed that the higher carbonization temperature leads to the higher graphite degree which presents the larger carbon network size, suggesting that a more graphitic structure of CNFs led to a higher crystallization temperature of PP.

• Carbon letters
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.108-114
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• 2008

We have demonstrated the feasibility of using electrospinning method to fabricate long and continuous composite nanofiber sheets of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) incorporated with zinc oxide (ZnO). Such PAN/ZnO composite nanofiber sheets represent an important step toward utilizing carbon nanofibers (CNFs) as materials to achieve remarkably enhanced physico-chemical properties. In an attempt to derive these advantages, we have used a variety of techniques such as field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) to obtain quantitative data on the materials. The CNFs produced are in the diameter range of 100 to 350 nm after carbonization at $1000^{\circ}C$. Electrical conductivity of the random CNFs was increased by increasing the concentration of ZnO. A dramatic improvement in porosity and specific surface area of the CNFs was a clear evidence of the novelty of the method used. This study indicated that the optimal ZnO concentration of 3 wt% is enough to produce CNFs having enhanced electrical and physico-chemical properties.

• Composites Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.160-164
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• 2013

In this study, the effect of phosphoric acid (PA) as a fiber spinning aid on the strength increase of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nano-fibers by using modified mechano-electrospinning technologies has been analyzed. The medium carbonization temperature of $800^{\circ}C$ has been selected for the future economic production of these new materials. The concentration of PAN in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was fixed as 5 wt%. The weight fraction of PA was selected as being 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% in comparison to PAN. These solutions have been used to make the nanofibers. The mechano-electrospinning apparatus installed in KRICT was made by our own design. By using this apparatus the continous and highly aligned precursor nano-fibers have been obtained. The bundle of 50 well aligned nano diameter continuous fibers with the diametr of 10 microns with 6 wt% phosphoric acid for addition showed maximum mechanical properties of 1.6 GPa as tensile strength and 300 GPa as Young's modulus. The weight of final product can be increased 19%, which can improve the economical benefits for the application of these new materials.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.472-477
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• 2011

To study the effects of the acid group of functionalized MWNT (multiwalled carbon nanotube) on the thermal and mechanical properties of polyacrylonitrile(PAN) nanofibers, acid ($H_2SO_4/HNO_3$) treated MWNT (O-MWNT) were further functionalized by diazonium salt reaction with 5-aminoisophthalic acid (IPA). Compared to O-MWNT, IPA-MWNT with isophthalic acid group showed a better dispersion stability in polar solvents and IPA-MWNT/PAN composite film displayed lower heat of reaction (${\Delta}H$) than that of homo PAN when stabilized under air atmosphere. The continuous electrospun fibers were prepared using a conductive water bath. PAN fibers containing 1 wt% of IPA-MWNT showed an increase of tensile strength by 100% and tensile modulus by 240% compared to the PAN fibers without IPA-MWNT.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2020

Sustainable plastics can be mainly categorized into (1) biodegradable plastics decomposed into water and carbon dioxide after use, and (2) biomass-derived plastics possessing the carbon neutrality by utilizing raw materials converted from atmospheric carbon dioxide to biomass. Recently, biomass-derived engineering plastics (EP) and natural nanofiber-reinforced nanocomposites are emerging as a new direction of the industry. In addition to the eco-friendliness of natural resources, these materials are competitive over petroleum-based plastics in the high value-added plastics market. Polyesters and polycarbonates synthesized from isosorbide and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, which are representative biomass-derived monomers, are at the forefront of industrialization due to their higher transparency, mechanical properties, thermal stability, and gas barrier properties. Moreover, isosorbide has potential to be applied to super EP material with continuous service temperature over 150 ℃. In situ polymerization utilizing surface hydrophilicity and multi-functionality of natural nanofibers such as nanocellulose and nanochitin achieves remarkable improvements of mechanical properties with the minimal dose of nanofillers. Biomass-derived tough-plastics covered in this review are expected to replace petroleum-based plastics by satisfying the carbon neutrality required by the environment, the high functionality by the consumer, and the accessibility by the industry.