• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.359-365
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• 2008

We have fabricated a novel thermo-responsive nanofibrous surfaces by grafting PIPAAm by electron beam irradiation onto poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)(PHBV) nanofibrous mats. The electrospun PHBV nanofiber structures revealed randomly aligned fibers with average diameter of 400 nm. Increased atomic percent of nitrogen was observed on the PIPAAm-grafted PHBV mats after electron beam irradiation determined by ESCA. The amounts of PIPAAm-grafted onto PHBV films were $6.49{\mu}g/cm^2$ determined by ATR-FTIR. The PIPAAm-grafted surfaces exhibited decreasing contact angles by lowering the temperature from 37 to $20^{\circ}C$, while ungrafted PHBV surfaces had negligible contact angle change. This result indicates that PIPAAm surfaces, which are hydrophobic at the higher temperature, became markedly more hydrophilic in response to a temperature reduction due to spontaneous hydration of the surface-grafted PIPAAm. Thermo-responsive nanofibers showed good tissue compatibility. Cultured cells were well detached and recovered from the surfaces by changing culture temperature from 37 to $20^{\circ}C$.

• 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.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.527-534
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• 2015

This study offers a novel method for improving the physical contact between the anode and fuel in a direct carbon fuel cell (DCFC): a direct generation of carbon in a porous Ni anode through the thermal decomposition of gaseous hydrocarbons. Three kinds of alkane hydrocarbons with different carbon numbers (CH4, C2H6, and C3H8) are tested. From electron microscope observations of the carbon particles generated from each hydrocarbon, we confirm that more carbon spheres (CS), carbon nanotubes (CNT), and carbon nanofibers (CNF) were identified with increasing carbon number. Raman scattering results revealed that the carbon samples became less crystalline and more flexible with increasing carbon number. DCFC performance was measured at $700^{\circ}C$ with the anode fueled by the same mass of each carbon sample. One-dimensional carbon fuels of CNT and CNF more actively produced and had power densities 148 and 210 times higher than that of the CS, respectively. This difference is partly attributed to the findings that the less-crystalline CNT and CNF have much lower charge transfer resistances than the CS.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.547-554
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• 2010

In this study, new manganese oxide (i.e., black-birnessite) particles with nanostructures were prepared and its physico-chemical properties and oxidative-transformation efficiency on 1,4-naphthoquinine(1,4-NPQ) in the presence of reactive mediator was investigated. The results were also compared with that of the manganese oxide (i.e., brown-birnessite) particles synthesized by classical McKenzie method. Analysis of XRD and SEM data show that the particles are a single phase corresponding to a birnessite-based manganese oxide with cotton ball-like shapes containing nanofibers. In batch experiments, removals of 1,4-NPQ by the black-birnessite follows pseudo-first-order kinetics and the rate constant values obtained are greater about 2.3 times than that of the brown-birnessite in spite of its lower surface area (41.0 vs 19.80 $m^2/g$). The results can be explained by the higher crystallinity and nano structured features of the back-birnessite particles, which give higher reactivity for the removals of the quinone compound. HPLC analysis of the reaction products confirmed that the balck-birnessites removed 1,4-NPQ through cross-coupling reaction in the presence of catechol as a reactive mediator.

• 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 Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2016

Asian dust (Hwangsa) interacts with light, atmospheric gas, aerosol, and marine ecosystem, affecting Earth climate. Mineralogical properties are essential to understand the interaction between the dust and environments. In this study, we examined the mineralogical properties of Asian dust collected at Deokjeok Island, Incheon, Korea in February 22, 2015. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses showed that phyllosilicate minerals (62 wt%) dominate the Asian dust. Illite-smectite series clay minerals (55%) were common with minor chlorite (5%) and kaolinite (2%). Non-phyllosilicate minerals were quartz (18%), plagioclase (10%), K-feldspar (4%), calcite (4%), and gypsum (1%). Similar results were obtained by mineral quantification using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS). Transmission electron microscopy combined with EDS confirmed illite-smectite series clay minerals as the dominant phyllosilicate type. Morphological analyses using SEM showed clay agglomerates, clay-coated quartz, feldspars, and micas. Gypsum grains were common on the particle surface, while calcite nanofibers, previously reported as common on the surface, were rare, indicating the reaction of calcite and acidic atmospheric pollutants to form gypsum. The analytical result of 2015 Asian dust would contribute to the establishment of mineralogical base for the modeling of the interaction between Asian dust and environments.

• Particle and aerosol research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.191-202
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• 2019

In this study, performance (particle removal efficiency and breathing resistance) of several commercially available face masks (electrostatic filter masks (KF80 certified), a nanofiber filter mask (KF80 certified), and an uncertified mask) with their filter structure and composition were evaluated. Also, effects of relative humidity (RH) of incoming air, water and alcohol exposure, and reusability on performance of face masks were examined. Monodisperse and polydisperse sodium chloride particles were used as test aerosols. Except the uncertified mask filter, PM_2.5 removal efficiency was found to be higher than 90%, and the nanofiber filter mask had the highest quality factor due to the low pressure drop and high removal efficiency (nanofibers were arranged in a densely packed pore structure and contained a significant amount of fluorine in addition to carbon and oxygen). In the case of the KF80 certified mask, the removal efficiency was little affected when the RH of incoming air increased. When the mask filters were soaked in water, the removal efficiency of mask filters was degraded. In particular, the uncertified mask filter showed the highest removal efficiency degradation (26%). When the mask was soaked in alcohol, the removal efficiency also decreased with the greater degree than the water soaking case. The nanofiber mask filter showed the strongest resistance to alcohol exposure among tested mask filters. During evaluation of reusability of masks in real life, the removal efficiency of certified mask filter was less than 4% for 5 consecutive days (2 hours per day), while the removal efficiency of uncertified mask filter significantly decreased by 30% after 5 days.

• Composites Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2013

The electrospun PVDF containing CNT was made for fabricating materials of the actuator. The electrochemical and their actuating movement were evaluated for the actuator performance in the electrochemical environment. The actuator (which was fabricated by electrospinning) had some advantages, i.e., good dispersion and flexible properties. In the electrospinning process, the final product would have different forms based on different essential factors. In this work, electrospun nanofibers were aligned by using the drum-type collector, and the morphology was identified via the field emission-scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). The uniform dispersion of CNT in PVDF nanofiber was observed by electron probe X-ray micro-analysis (EPMA) test. The results of tensile strength and electrical resistivity provided the aligned state. The electrospun CNT/PVDF nanofiber sheet on the aligned direction showed better mechanical and electrical properties than the case of the vertically-aligned direction. The efficiency and electrical capacities of electrospun CNT/PVDF nanofiber sheets were compared with the cast PVDF sheet for actuator application. Electrospun CNT/PVDF nanofiber sheet exhibited much better the case of actuator performance than cast neat PVDF actuator, due to the excellent electrical connecting areas.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.539-544
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• 2020

A three-dimensional (3D) porous polyaniline (PANI) film was fabricated by a combined photo-and soft-lithography technique based on a large-area nanopillar array, followed by a controlled chemical dilute polymerization. The as-obtained 3D PANI film consisted of hierarchically interconnected PANI nanofibers, resulting in a 3D hierarchical nanoweb film with a large surface and open porous structure. Using electrochemical measurements, the resulting 3D PANI film was demonstrated as a flexible pH sensor electrode, exhibiting a high sensitivity of 60.3 mV/pH, which is close to the ideal Nernstian behavior. In addition, the 3D PANI electrode showed a fast response time of 10 s, good repeatability, and good selectivity. When the 3D PANI electrode was measured under a mechanically bent state, the electrode exhibited a high sensitivity of 60.4 mV/pH, demonstrating flexible pH sensor performance.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.472-477
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• 2011

To study the effects of the acid group of functionalized MWNT (multiwalled carbon nanotube) on the thermal and mechanical properties of polyacrylonitrile(PAN) nanofibers, acid ($H_2SO_4/HNO_3$) treated MWNT (O-MWNT) were further functionalized by diazonium salt reaction with 5-aminoisophthalic acid (IPA). Compared to O-MWNT, IPA-MWNT with isophthalic acid group showed a better dispersion stability in polar solvents and IPA-MWNT/PAN composite film displayed lower heat of reaction (${\Delta}H$) than that of homo PAN when stabilized under air atmosphere. The continuous electrospun fibers were prepared using a conductive water bath. PAN fibers containing 1 wt% of IPA-MWNT showed an increase of tensile strength by 100% and tensile modulus by 240% compared to the PAN fibers without IPA-MWNT.