• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.299-314
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• 2021

In this study, we investigated the effect of temperature on specific surface area and electrochemical properties when lignin-based porous carbon (LBPC) with potassium hydroxide (KOH) is activated. After preparing LBPCs using lignin-polyacrylonitrile (PAN) copolymer, which was synthesized by graft polymerizing lignin and acrylonitrile as a precursor, activated LBPCs (KA-LBPC-6, 7, 8, 9) were manufactured by activating LBPC with KOH at 600℃, 700℃, 800℃ and 900℃. To identify the surface characteristics of KA-LBPC, observations were made with a scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the pore characteristics were identified via specific surface area analysis. The electrochemical properties were analyzed using a three-electrode system. The experiment has shown that micropores formed by activation can be observed in SEM images. KA-LBPC-7 had the best pore characteristics among KA-LBPCs, with a specific surface area of 2480.1 m²/g, a micropore volume of 0.64 cm³/g, and a mesopore volume of 0.76 cm³/g. KA-LBPC-7 showed the best electrochemical properties with a specific capacitance of 151.3 F/g at the scan rate of 2 mV/s.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.406-414
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• 2016

The lignin-based carbon nanofiber reinforced epoxy composite has been prepared by immersing carbon nanofiber mat in epoxy resin solution in order to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties. The thermal and mechanical properties of the carbon nanofiber reinforced epoxy composite were analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and tensile tester. It was found that the thermal properties of the carbon nanofiber reinforced epoxy composite improved, with its glass-transition temperature ($T_g$) increased from $90.7^{\circ}C$ ($T_g$ of epoxy resin itself) to $106.9^{\circ}C$. The tensile strengths of carbon nanofiber mats made from both lignin-g-PAN copolymer and PAN were 7.2 MPa and 9.4 MPa, respectively. The resulting tensile strength of lignin-based carbon nanofiber reinforced epoxy composite became 43.0 MPa, the six times higher than that of lignin-based carbon nanofiber mats. The carbon nanofibers were pulled out after the tensile test of the carbon nanofiber reinforced epoxy composite due to high tensile strength (478.8 MPa) of an individual carbon nanofiber itself as well as low interfacial adhesion between fibers and matrices, confirmed by the SEM analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.750-759
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• 2016

The $MnO_2$ electrodeposited on the surface of the carbon nanofiber mats ($MnO_2$-LCNFM) were prepared from electrospun lignin-g-PAN copolymer via heat treatments and subsequent $MnO_2$ electrodeposition method. The resulting $MnO_2$-LCNFM was evaluateed for its potential use in a supercapicitor electrode. The increase of $MnO_2$ electric deposition time was revealed to increase diameter of carbon nanofibers as well as $MnO_2$ content on the surface of carbon nanofiber mats as confirmed by scanning electon microscope (SEM) analysis. The electrochemical properties of $MnO_2$-LCNFM electrodes are evaluated through cyclic voltammetry test. It was shown that $MnO_2$-LCNFM electrode exhibited good electrochemical performance with specific capacitance of $168.0mF{\cdot}cm^{-2}$. The $MnO_2$-LCNFM supercapacitor successfully fabricated using the gel electrolyte ($H_3PO_4$/Polyvinyl alcohol) showed to have the capacitance efficiency of ~90%, and stable behavior during 1,000 charging/discharging cycles.