• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.41-45
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• 2005

As an effort to explore the effective use of carbon nanotubes as a reinforcing material for advanced nano-composites with polymer matrices, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were successfully incorporated into polystyrene (PS) via in-situ bulk polymerization. Various experimental techniques revealed that the covalent bonds formed between PS radicals and acid-treated carbon nanotubes are favorable resulting in an effective load transfer. The enhanced storage modulus of the nanocomposites suggests a strong possibility for the potential use in industrial applications.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.236-242
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• 2014

Isospecific propylene polymerization behavior of meta- and para-Lewis base (E) functionalized unbridged zirconocenes ($[1-(E_n-Ph)-3,4-Me_2C_5H_2]_2ZrCl_2$, E = $NMe_2$, OMe; n = 1 or 2) was investigated under bulk conditions. Catalytic activity of the zirconocenes, and molecular weight and isotacticity of polypropylenes are found to be dependent on the position and number of the Lewis base functional groups in the zirconocenes. All the crude polypropylenes possess a broad molecular weight distribution and multi-melting transitions, indicating an involvement of multi-catalytic active species in the polymerization. The highest [mmmm] value of an isotactic portion of the polypropylenes reached 89%, which is higher than that (85%) from the well-known $C_2$-symmetric EBIZr (rac-$Et(Ind)_2ZrCl_2$) catalyst. These results support that the in situ generated, rigid rac-like cation-anion pair through the Lewis acid-base interactions between the functional groups of zirconocenes and methylaluminoxane anion is effective in the formation of isotactic polypropylene under bulk propylene polymerization conditions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Rheology Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.187-190
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• 2006

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.539-553
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• 2016

As a novel hydrophobic monomer, polytetrahydrofuran diacrylate (PTMGDA) was synthesized by the esterification reaction between polyethylene tetrahydrofuran (PTMG) and acryloyl chloride (AC). In situ free radical polymerization reaction method was utilized to fabricate poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-PTMGDA-poly(ethylene oxide) dimethacrylate (PEGMA) ulrafiltration (UF) membranes. The performances of PVDF-PTMGDA-PEGMA UF membranes in terms of morphologies, mechanical properties, separation properties and hydrophilicities were investigated. The introduction of the PTMGDA-PEGMA dopants not only increased the membranes' pure water flux, but also improved their mechanical properties and the dynamic contact angles. The addition of the PTMGDA/PEGMA dopants led to the formation of the finger-like structure in the membrane bulk. With the increase concentration of PTMGDA/PEGMA dopants, the porosity and the mean effective pore size increased. Those performances were coincide with the physicochemical properties of the casting solutions.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.704-710
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• 2008

Injectable hydrogels are quite promising materials due to their potential to minimize invasive implantation and this provides versatile fitness irrespective of the damaged regions and facilitates the incorporation of bioactive agents or cells. In situ gel formation through stereocomplex formation is a promising candidate for injectable hydrogels. In this paper, a new series of enantiomeric, four-arm, PEG-PLA block copolymers and their stereocomplexed hydrogels were prepared by bulk ring-opening polymerization of D-lactide and L-lactide, respectively, with stannous octoate as a catalyst. The prepared polymers were characterized by $^1H$ nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FT IR) spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and thermal gravitational analysis (TGA), confirming the tailored structure and chain lengths. The swelling and degradation behavior of the hydrogels formed from a selected copolymer series were observed in different concentrations. The degradation rate decreased with increasing polymer content in the solution. The rheological behavior indicated that the prepared hydrogel underwent in situ gelation and had favorable mechanical strength. In addition, its feasibility as an injectable scaffold was evaluated using a media dependence test for cell culture. A Tris solution was more favorable for in situ gel formation than PBS and DMEM solutions were. These results demonstrated the in situ formation of hydrogel through the construction of a stereocomplex with enantiomeric, 4-arm, PEG-PLA copolymers. Overall, enantiomeric, 4-arm, PEG-PLA copolymers are a new species of stereocomplexed hydrogels that are suitable for further research into injectable hydrogels.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.693-698
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• 2012

In this study aluminum isopropyl oxide ($Al(O-i-Pr)_3$) was supported on the amine-functionalized surface of silica to synthesize high molecular weight (MW) polylactide (PLA), and it was tested for PLA polymerization behaviors. A silica was funtionalized with silane compound having amine groups, then in-situ treated with $Al(O-i-Pr)_3$. $Al(O-i-Pr)_3$ attached to amine group on silica showed activity only in the presence of MAO (methyl aluminoxane). At the polymerization temperature of $115^{\circ}C$, the conversion and the MW of PLA were increased as the amount of silane was increased. At the polymerization temperature of $130^{\circ}C$, the conversion was decreased while the MW was increased drastically and reached to MW 44000 g/mol when the amine concentration was 3.0 mmol/g. A bimodal type GPC curve was shown at the polymerization temperature of $115^{\circ}C$. As the amount of amine group increased, the peaks of GPC curve were merged. At the polymerization of $130^{\circ}C$, a unimodal GPC curve was shown. $Al(O-i-Pr)_3$ supported on amine-functionalized silica was able to produce higher MW PLA with enhanced activity compared to homogeneous $Al(O-i-Pr)_3$.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.188-192
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• 2012

Herein, CdS-coated PMMA nanoparticles were prepared by in-situ surfactant-free emulsion copolymerization and subsequent CdS coating process. As-prepared CdS/PMMA hybrid particles had 201.7 nm in diameter. The amount of CdS nanocrystals in the hybrid particles was 10.37 wt% determined by TGA and elemental analysis. The size of CdS crystals was 3.55 nm preferentially grown in (111) plane. UV-vis spectrum of PMMA/CdS nanoparticles showed the significant blue-shift in optical illumination. The reason was found because the synthesized CdS nanocrystals on PMMA particles had a different band gap energy of 2.70 eV which was significantly higher than that of known-value of bulk CdS (2.41 eV) due to a quantum confinement effect.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.03a
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• pp.137-137
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• 2003

Conducting PPy/PVA composite and pure PPy gas sensors were prepared by in-situ vaporstate polymerization method in a vaporization chamber under N2 condition, by exposing the pre-coated electrode with PVA/FeC13 to distilled pyrrole monomer. The various electrical sensing behaviors of both types of sensors were systematically investigated by a flow measuring system including mass flow controller (MFC) and bubbling bottle. The FT-Raman spectroscopy of vapor state polymerized PPy was identical to that of chemically polymerized PPy, confirming the same chemical structure. Both types of sensors had positive sensitivity when exposed to methanol gas. The sensitivity varied linearly with gas concentration in the range of 50ppm to 1059ppm. The detection limit of PPy/PVA sensor was believed to be as low as 10ppm. The sensitivity of PPy/PVA composite sensor was higher than that of pure PPy sensor. Both the response time and recovery time of PPy/PVA composite sensors were longer than those of pure PPy sensors. The thickness of the sensing film affected the sensitivity this way that the sensor having thinner film had higher sensitivity, indicating that the resistance of polymer film involved in the sensing behavior was bulk resistance rather than surface resistance. The reproducibility of PPy/PVA composite sensor was excellent during eight on-off cycles by switching between N2 and 3000ppm methanol gas. The sensitivity of PPy/PVA composite sensor was only maintained for two weeks, while the sensitivity of pure PPy sensor was maintained over two months.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.80-86
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• 2010

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) exhibit excellent mechanical, electrical, and magnetic properties as well as nanometer scale diameter and high aspect ratio, which make them an ideal reinforcing agent for high strength polymer composites. The functionalized CNTs are believed to be very promising in the fields such as preparation of functional and composite materials. CNT-Polymer composites are expected to have good processability characteristics of the polymer and excellent functional properties of the CNTs. However, since CNTs usually form stabilized bundles due to Van der Waals interactions, are extremely difficult to disperse and align in a polymer matrix. The biggest issues in the preparation of CNT-reinforced composites reside in efficient dispersion of CNTs into a polymer matrix, and the alignment and control of the CNTs in the matrix. There are several methods for the dispersion of nanotubes in the polymer matrix such as solution mixing, bulk mixing, melt mixing, in-situ polymerization and chemical functionalization of the carbon nanotubes, etc. These methods and preparation of high performance CNT-polymer composites are described in this review.