• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.343-348
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• 2009

In this study, an efficient sequential bridging method to characterize both the particle size effect and concentration effect on the mechanical properties of nanocomposites at high volume fraction is suggested through a molecular dynamics(MD) simulations and micromechanics of composites materials. The Young's modulus and the shear modulus of the nanocomposites at various particle radius and at 12% volume fraction were obtained from MD simulations and multi-inclusion model was adopted to describe both modulus in continuum model. In order to describe the particle size effect, an additional phase, effective interface, was adopted as characteristic phase and the non-dilute concentration effect which appears at 12% volume fraction was describe via the variation of the elastic modulus of the infinite medium. Both the elastic modulus of the interface and infinite medium were fitted into functions of particle radius for the applicability of the present bridging method at various particle radii. Using the present bridging method the elastic modulus of the nanocomposites was efficiently obtained with accuracy. In addition, the effect of the interface thickness and modulus on the elastic modulus of the nanocomposite was investigated.

• Clean Technology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.291-296
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• 2021

Recently, there has been increasing demand for advancing photocatalytic techniques that are capable of the efficient removal of organic pollutants in water. TiO₂, a representative photocatalytic material, has been commonly used as an effective photocatalyst, but it is rather expensive and an alternative is required that will fulfill the requirements of both high performing photocatalytic activities and cost-effectiveness. In this work, ZnO, which is more cost effective than TiO₂, was synthesized by using a microreactor-assisted nanomaterials (MAN) process. The process enabled a continuous production of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with a flower-like structure with high uniformity. In order to resolve the limited light absorption of ZnO arising from its large band gap, Ag NPs were uniformly decorated on the flower-like ZnO surface by using the MAN process. The plasmonic effect of Ag NPs led to a broadening of the absorption range toward visible wavelengths. Ag NPs also helped inhibit the electron-hole recombination by drawing electrons generated from the light absorption of the flower-like ZnO NPs. As a result, the Ag-ZnO nanocomposites showed improved photocatalytic activities compared with the flower-like ZnO NPs. The photocatalytic activities were evaluated through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) solution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the successful synthesis of Ag-ZnO nanocomposites with high uniformity. Ag-ZnO nanocomposites synthesized via the MAN process offer the potential for cost-effective and scalable production of next-generation photocatalytic materials.