• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2017

Adsorption is a plausible technology using solid adsorbents for dry capture of carbon dioxide ($CO_2$). In general, narrow size distribution of tiny pores and surface chemical functionalities of solid adsorbents enhance the adsorption capacity of gaseous $CO_2$ molecules. In order to utilize the advantages of fibrous adsorbents, this work prepared activated carbon nanofibers (ACNFs) via the electrospinning process using a polymer precursor of polyacylonitrile (PAN). The spun fibers were 390 nm to 580 nm in thickness with an average surface area of $27.3m^2/g$. The surface structure was improved by a programmed thermal activation at $800^{\circ}C$ in $CO_2$ atmosphere. It was also found that the nitrogen-groups including pyrrole and pyridine were created during the activation facilitaing the selective adsorption as forming enhanced active sites. The finally obtained adsorption capacities were 2.74 mmol/g for pure $CO_2$ flow and 0.74mmol/g for 3000 ppm.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.13-20
• /
• 2018

Gas sensors based on metal oxide semiconductors are used in numerous applications including monitoring indoor air quality and detecting harmful substances like volatile organic compounds. Nanostructures, for example, nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanodomes, and nanofibers have been widely utilized to improve gas sensing properties of metal oxide semiconductors, and this increases the effective surface area, resulting in participation of more target gas molecules in the surface reaction. In the recent times, 1-dimensional (1D) metal oxide nanostructures fabricated using anodic oxidation have attracted great attention due to their high surface-to-volume ratio with large-area uniformity, reproducibility, and capability of synthesis under ambient air and pressure, leading to cost-effectiveness. Here, we provide a brief overview of 1D metal oxide nanostructures fabricated by anodic oxidation and their gas sensing properties. In addition, recent progress on thin film-based anodic oxidation for application in gas sensors is introduced.

• Proceeding of EDISON Challenge
• /
• 2015.03a
• /
• pp.304-307
• /
• 2015

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been widely accepted and used as the enhancer for polymer nano-composites due to their remarkable mechanical properties. Understandably, the CNT fiber-polymer matrix interface plays a major role in determining the properties of the CNT-polymer nano-composites. Here, using the LCAODFT Lab tool available on the EDISON Nano-Physics site, we performed first-principles density-functional theory calculations to determine the atomic configurations and binding energies of the CNTs in contact with polymers. For the polymer matrixes, we chose poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN), which is one of the most well-known polymer matrixes for the carbon nanofiber nanocomposites. Different chiralities and diameters of pristine CNTs were considered, and several PAN-CNT configurations were prepared based on the atomistic positions and directions of cyano group in PAN. The most favorable configuration of PAN was obtained when the PAN bound parallel to the surface of CNT. Our finding indicates the binding configurations are determined by the direction of the cyano group dominantly rather than the atomistic position of PAN, or the symmetry of CNTs. The result of increasing the length of CNT diameter suggests that PAN is inclinable to align evenly on the surface of relatively large size of CNT with the configuration parallel to the surface. These results obtained in this study will provide the starting point for the design of improved PAN-CNT composites for the next-generation ultra-strong and ultra-light carbon nanofibers.

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.285-292
• /
• 2010

Novel unsaturated polyester composites with PAN-based nanofiber, stabilized PAN nanofiber, and carbonized nanofiber webs have been fabricated, respectively, and the effects of the nanofiber web content on their electrical resistivity, the thermal stability, dynamic storage modulus, and fracture surfaces were studied. The result demonstrated that the introduction of just one single layer (which is corresponding to 2 wt.%) of the carbonized nanofiber web to unsaturated polyester resin (UPE) could contribute to reducing markedly the electrical resistivity of the resin reflecting the percolation threshold, to improving the storage modulus, and to increasing the thermal stability above $350^{\circ}C$. The effect on decreasing the resistivity and increasing the modulus was the greatest at the carbonized PAN nanofiber web content of 8 wt.%, particularly showing that the storage modulus was increased about 257~283% in the measuring temperature range of $-25^{\circ}C$ to $50^{\circ}C$. The result also exhibited that the carbonized PAN nanofibers were distributed uniformly and compactly in the unsaturated polyester, connecting the matrix three-dimensionally through the thickness direction of each specimen. It seemed that such the fiber distribution played a role in reducing the electrical resistivity as well as in improving the dynamic storage modulus.

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.37-42
• /
• 2007

Carbon nanofiber (CNF) grown catalytically was chemically activated with KOH to attain structural change of CNF. The structural changes of CNF through KOH activation were investigated by using BET and SEM. From the results of BET, it was found that KOH activation was effective to develop particular sizes of pores on the CNF surface, increasing the surface area of CNF. Activated CNF was applied as an anode catalyst support of fuel cell. The effects of different activation conditions including the activation temperature and the activation time on the specific surface area of the CNF activated with KOH were investigated to obtain appropriate structure as a catalyst support. The 60 wt% Pt-Ru catalyst prepared was observed by using TEM and XRD.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.374-378
• /
• 2004

The biodegradable and biocompatible poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV), a copolymer of microbial polyester, was fabricated as nanofibrous mats by electrospinning. Image analysis of the electrospun nanofibers fabricated from a 2 wt% 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol solution revealed a unimodal distribution pattern of fiber diameters with an observed average diameter of ca. 185 nm. The fiber diameter of electrospun fabrics could be controlled by adjusting the electro spinning parameters, including the solvent composition, concentration, applied voltage, and tip-to-collector distance. Chondrocytes derived from rabbit ear were cultured on a PHBV cast film and an electrospun PHBV nano-fibrous mat. After incubation for 2 h, the percentages of attached chondrocytes on the surfaces of the flat PHBV film and the PHBV nanofibrous mat were 19.0 and 30.1 %, respectively. On the surface of the electrospun PHBV fabric, more chondrocytes were attached and appeared to have a much greater spreaded morphology than did that of the flat PHBV cast film in the early culture stage. The electro spun PHBV nanofabric provides an attractive structure for the attachment and growth of chondrocytes as cell culture surfaces for tissue engineering.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.17 no.9
• /
• pp.682-687
• /
• 2009

Nanofibrous membranes of poly(D,L-lactic acid)/chitin blend were prepared by electro spinning for a barrier of guided tissue regeneration. A miscible solution was obtained by the blending chitin-salt complex into 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone solution of poly(D,L-lactic acid). The properties of the blend were examined for nanofibrous fabrication. The viscosity of the blend solution was increased significantly due to chain entanglement despite the low ratio of chitin to poly(D,L-lactic acid). An interaction between two polymeric compositions was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. X-ray diffraction detected an appreciably ordered microstructure in the nanofiber of the blend. A membrane of thinner nanofibers was fabricated by electro spinning the chitin blend. The permeability of the membranes was examined using bioactive model compounds.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.17 no.7
• /
• pp.533-537
• /
• 2009

This paper introduces a modified electro spinning system for biomedical wound-healing applications. The conventional electrospinning process requires a grounded electrode on which highly charged electro spun ultrafine fibers are deposited. Biomedical wound-healing membranes, however, require a very low charge and a low level of remnant solvent on the electrospun membrane, which the conventional process cannot provide. An electrohydrodynamic process complemented with field-controllable electrodes (an auxiliary electrode and guiding electrodes) and an air blowing system was used to produce a membrane, with a considerably reduced charge and low remnant solvent concentration compared to one fabricated using the conventional method. The membrane had a small average pore size (102 nm) and high porosity (85.1%) for prevention of bacterial contamination. In vivo tests on rats showed that these directly electro spun fibrous membranes produced using the modified electro spinning process supported the good healing of skin bums.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.73-79
• /
• 2005

Poly(L-lactic acid-co-succinic acid-co-l,4-butane diol) (PLASB) was synthesized by direct condensation copolymerization of L-lactic acid (LA), succinic acid (SA), and 1,4-butanediol (BD) in the bulk using titanium(IV) butoxide as a catalyst. The weight-average molecular weight ofPLASB was $2.1{\times}10^{5}$ when the contents of SA and BD were each 0.5 mol/100 mol of LA. Electrospinning was used to fabricate porous membranes from this newly synthesized bioabsorbable PLASB dissolved in mixed solvents of methylene chloride and dimethylformamide. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images indicated that the fiber diameters and nanostructured morphologies of the electrospun membranes depended on the processing parameters, such as the solvent ratioand the polymer concentration. By adjusting both the solvent mixture ratio and the polymer concentration, we could fabricate uniform nanofiber non-woven membranes. Cell proliferation on the electrospun porous PLASB membranes was evaluated using mouse fibroblast cells; we compare these results with those of the cell responses on bulk PLASB films.

• Advanced Composite Materials
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.221-232
• /
• 2009

The allylamine plasma treatment is used to modify the surface properties of vapor grown carbon fibers (VGCF). It is to improve the interfacial bonding between the VGCF and epoxy matrix. The allylamine plasma process was performed by batch process in a vacuum chamber, using gas injection followed by plasma discharge for the durations of 20, 40 and 60 min. The interdependence of mechanical properties on the VGCF contents, treatment time and interfacial bonding between VGCF/ep was investigated. The interfacial bonding between VGCF and epoxy matrix was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of nanocomposites fracture surfaces. The changes in the mechanical properties of VGCF/ep, such as the tensile modulus and strength were discussed. The mechanical properties of allylamine plasma treated (AAPT) VGCF/ep were compared with those of raw VGCF/ep. The tensile strength and modulus of allyamine plasma treated VGCF40 (40 min treatment)/ep demonstrated a higher value than those of other samples. The mechanical properties were increased with the allyamine plasma treatment due to the improved adhesion at VGCF/ep interface. The modification of the carbon nanofibers surface was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). SEM micrographs showed an excellent dispersion of VGCF in epoxy matrix by ultrasonic method.