• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.595-605
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• 2018

In recent years, researches on organic-inorganic coating films have conducted a nanocomposite system composed of organic resin matrices having excellent flexibility and chemical stability and inorganic materials having excellent mechanical properties. The o-phenylphenoxyethyl acrylate (OPPEA) used as the acrylate monomer has a high refractive index of 1.58, and the bisphenol A ethoxylate diacrylate (BAEDA) has a low refractive index but improves the chemical stability of the organic resin. In addition, zirconia used as an inorganic material exhibits excellent durability and optical properties. In this study, the BAEDA contents in acrylate monomer were controlled to produce a film with suitable optical transparency. And optimum conditions were established by comparing the changes in surface properties of PET films detected with pencil hardness tester, Abbe's refractometer, and UV-vis spectrophotometer. The hydrophobicity and the dispersibility of zirconia in acrylate monomer were much improved after modification with ${\gamma}$-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS), which is a silane coupling agent. And the existence of ester C=O bond peak at $1716cm^{-1}$ introduced by MPS through FT-IR ATR spectrophotometer confirmed the completion of surface modification of zirconia with MPS. In addition, the presence of silicon atom on the surface modified zirconia was also proved using X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. When the photocurable hybrid coating was prepared by introducing chemically modified zirconia into acrylate monomer, the refractive index of this coated PET film was improved by 1.2%, compared to the only acrylate coated PET film. The homogeneous distribution of zirconia in acrylate coating layer on PET film was also identified through SEM/EDS mapping analysis technique.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.745-755
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• 2012

Two types of polymers were tested in this study; poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) as a synthetic example and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as a natural polymer. DSC analyses showed that the use of nanofiller increased the degree of crystallinity ($X_c$) of both PET and PLA polymers, but the effect was more noticeable on PET nanocomposites. The crystallization of PLA and PET nanocomposites occurred at higher temperatures in comparison to neat polymers. According to dynamic mechanical-thermal analysis (DMTA), the damping factor of PET/$TiO_2$ nanoparticles decreased compared to the neat matrix, but for PLA nanocomposites the opposite trend was observed. Results of the mechanical test showed that for both PET and PLA nanocomposites, the most successful toughening effect was observed at 3 wt% loading of $TiO_2$ nanoparticles. SEM micrographs revealed uniform distribution of $TiO_2$ nanoparticles at 1 and 3 wt% loading levels. The results of WAXD spectra explained that the polymorphs of PLA and PET was not affected by $TiO_2$ nanoparticles. UV-visible spectra showed that $TiO_2$ nanocomposite films had high ultraviolet shielding compared to neat polymer, but there was significant reduction in transparency.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.611-616
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• 2010

A cobalt oxide - tin oxide nanocomposite based gas sensor on an $SiO_2$ substrate was fabricated. Granular thin film of tin oxide was formed by a rheotaxial growth and thermal oxidation method using dc magnetron sputtering of Sn. Nano particles of cobalt oxide were spin-coated on the tin oxide. The cobalt oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by polymer-assisted deposition method, which is a simple cost-effective versatile synthesis method for various metal oxides. The thickness of the film can be controlled over a wide range of thicknesses. The composite structures thus formed were characterized in terms of morphology and gas sensing properties for reduction gas of $H_2$. The composites showed a highest response of 240% at $250^{\circ}C$ upon exposure to 4% $H_2$. This response is higher than those observed in pure $SnO_2$ (90%) and $Co_3O_4$ (70%) thin films. The improved response with the composite structure may be related to the additional formation of electrically active defects at the interfaces. The composite sensor shows a very fast response and good reproducibility.

• Composites Research
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.270-276
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• 2015

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based nanocomposites are fabricated by incorporation of boron nitride (BN) nanosheets with anisotropic orientation for a potential high thermal conducting ferroelectric materials. The PVDF is dissolved in dimethylformamide (DMF) and homogeneously mixed with exfoliated BN nanosheets, which is then cast into a polyimide film under application of high magnetic fields (0.45~10 T), where the direction of the filler alignment was controlled. The BN nanosheets are exfoliated by a mixed way of solvothermal method and ultrasonication prior to incorporation into the PVDF-based polymer suspension. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and thermal diffusivity are measured for the characterization of the polymer nanocomposites. Analysis shows that BN nanosheets are exfoliated into the fewer layers, whose basal planes are oriented either perpendicular or parallel to the composite surfaces without necessitating the surface modification induced by high magnetic fields. Moreover, the nanocomposites show a dramatic thermal diffusivity enhancement of 1056% by BN nanosheets with perpendicular orientation in comparison with the pristine PVDF at 10 vol % of BN, which relies on the degree of filler orientation. The mechanism for the magnetic field-induced orientation of BN and enhancement of thermal property of PVDF-based composites by the BN assembly are elucidated.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.177-185
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• 2007

Polyamic acid(PAA)/organoclay nanocomposites containing phosphorous were prepared by solution blending of phosphorylated PAA(PPAA) and organically modified montmorillonite(O-MMT) as a type of layered clays. The nanocomposites were characterized by FT-IR, DSC, TGA, PCFC, SEM, and XRD. The preparation of nanocomposites was confirmed by FT-IR and XRD. SEM pictures showed that the organoclay was dispersed well in the PAA matrix relatively. XRD results indicated that the O-MMT layers were intercalated. The thermal stability and flame retardancy of O-MMT/PPAA nanocomposites were higher than those of pure PAA. PCFC results also showed that the heat release capacity and total heat release values of O-MMT 4 wt%/PPAA-0.2, 0.4, 0.6 composites were decreased with increasing the mole ratio of phosphorous. It was found that the nanocomposite films had the potential to be used as a fire safe material.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.11
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• pp.801-808
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• 2012

TiAlCN coatings with various C contents were synthesized by unbalanced magnetron sputtering. The characteristics, the crystalline structure, surface morphology, hardness, and friction coefficient of the coatings as a function of the C content were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), a microhardness tester, and a wear test. In addition, their corrosion behaviors in a deaerated 3.5 wt% NaCl solution at $40^{\circ}C$ were investigated by potentiodynamic polarization tests. The results indicated that the $Ti_{14.9}Al_{15.5}C_{30.7}N_{38.9}$ coating had the highest hardness, elastic modulus, and a plastic deformation resistance of 39 GPa, 359 GPa, and 0.55, respectively, and it also had the lowest friction coefficient of approximately 0.26. Comparative evaluation of the TiAlCN coatings indicated that a wide range of coating properties, especially coating hardness, could be obtained by the synthesis methods and processing variables. The microhardness of the coatings was much higher than that from previously reported coating using similar magnetron sputtering processes. It was almost as high as the microhardness measured from the TiAlCN coatings (~41 GPa) synthesized using an arc ion plating process. The potentiodynamic test showed that the corrosion resistance of the TiAlCN coatings was significantly better than the TiAlN coatings, and their corrosion current density ($i_{corr}$), corrosion potentials ($E_{corr}$) and corrosion rate decreased with an increasing C content in the coatings. The much denser microstructure of the coatings due to the increased amount of amorphous phase with increasing C contents in the coatings could result in the the improved corrosion resistance of the coatings.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.508-514
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• 2022

Piezoelectric composite films which are enabled by inorganic piezoelectric nanomaterials-embedded polymer, have attracted enormous attention as a sustainable power source for low powered electronics, because of their ease of fabrication and flexible nature. However, the absorption of applied stress by the soft polymeric matrices is a major issue that must be solved to expand the fields of piezoelectric composite applications. Herein, a flexible and porous piezoelectric composite (piezoelectric sponge) comprised of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles and polydimethylsiloxane was developed using template method to enhance the energy conversion efficiency by minimizing the stress that vanishes into the polymer matrix. In the porous structure, effective stress transfer can occur between the piezoelectric active materials in compression mode due to direct contact between the ceramic particles embedded in the pore-polymer interface. The piezoelectric sponge with 30 wt% of BaTiO₃ particles generated an open-circuit voltage of ~12 V and a short-circuit current of ~150 nA. A finite element method-based simulation was conducted to theoretically back up that the piezoelectric output performance was effectively improved by introducing the sponge structure. Furthermore, to demonstrate the feasibility of pressure detecting applications using the BaTiO₃ particles-embedded piezoelectric sponge, the composite was arranged in a 3 × 3 array and integrated into a single pressure sensor. The fabricated sensor array successfully detected the shape of the applied pressure. This work can provide a cost-effective, biocompatible, and structural strategy for realizing piezoelectric composite-based energy harvesters and self-powered sensors with improved energy conversion efficiency.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.340-346
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• 2008

The aim of this study is to understand the effect of structure on the dispersion of both CNT and GNF in the phase of synthesized polyurethanes matrix. Various CNT/PU and GNF/PU composite films were prepared. Polyurethane having a different hard segment was blended with both CNT and GNF. PU having HDI as hard segment showed good dispersion with both CNT and GNF because of their linear structural character and molecular kinesis while PU having aromatic ring showed poor dispersion with those due to their structural complexity. Structural effect also induced the increase of its electro conductivity. The PU/CNT composite showed a bad dispersion (because of phase separation between PU matrix and CNT) but good electro conductivity at its surface (because CNT was collected on the surface of composite film due to low density of CNT). PU/CNT and PU/GNF composite films have quite low normalized sheet resistance value compared with silver/PU nanocomposite film because the fiber type filler could have much more contact points than that of sphere shaped silver particles have.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 2005

Chitosan film has potential applications in agriculture, food, and pharmacy. However, films made only from chitosan lack gas barrier and have poor mechanical properties. For enhanced gas barrier and mechanical properties, chitosan/clay nanocomposites have been prepared with montmorillonite (MMT) which is a layered structure of clays and chitosan. The cationic biopolymer, chitosan is intercalated into $Na^+-montmorillonite$ through cationic exchange and hydrogen bonding process. Diluted acetic acid is used as solvent f3r dissolving and dispersing chitosan. Chitosan was intercalated or exfoliated in MMT and it was confirmed by X-ray diffraction method. D-spacing of the characteristic peak from MMT plate in chitosan/clay nanocomposites was moved and diminished. The thermal stability and the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites are measured by TGA and Universal Testing Machine. Gas permeability through the chitosan/clay nanocomposites films decreased due to increased tortuosity made by intercalation of clay in chitosan.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.410-418
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• 2016

In this study, we prepared electrically conducting composites using epoxy resin of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) as a matrix, triethylenetetramine (TETA) as a hardener and nickel powder or multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) grafted with $-NH_2$ groups (MWCNT-$NH_2$) as electrically conducting fillers. Electrical conductivity of composite films were measured by coating on the slide glass with a doctor blade. We measured modification reactions of MWCNT and reaction of MWCNT-$NH_2$ with DGEBA epoxy resin by fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and elemental analyzer (EA). Morphology of composites was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and sheet resistances of composites were measured by 4-point probe. We found $(9.87{\pm}1.09){\times}10^4{\Omega}/sq$ of sheet resistance for epoxy composite containing both 40 wt% nickel powder and 0.5 wt% of MWCNT-$NH_2$ as fillers, equivalent to epoxy composite containing 53.3 wt% nickel powder only as a filler.