• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.268-273
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• 2016

To improve mechanical strength of carbon foams, the carbon black (CB) added carbon foams were fabricated by impregnating different contents of carbon black (CB) and mesophase pitch using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution into polyurethane foam and being followed by heat treatment. The cell wall-thicknesses of carbon foams were controlled by adding amounts of CB, and it was confirmed that the compressive strength of carbon foams was increased as increasing cell wall-thickness. The compressive strength had the highest value of $0.22{\pm}0.05MPa$ with the highest bulk density of $0.44g/cm^3$ when adding 5 wt% CB in carbon foam. However, the thermal conductivity was decreased by adding CB in carbon foam. The results indicated that the thermal conductivities of carbon foams were reduced by increased interlayer spacing ($d_{002}$) with the addition of CB in carbon foams.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.258-265
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• 2005

To study the compressive stress, recovery force and permanent strain of foams for footwear midsole, polyurethane(PU), phylon(PH) and injection phylon(IP) foams were repetitively compressed with constant compressive stress. Maximum compressive stress of PU did not decrease with repetitive compression on the constant compressive stress, but that of IP largely decreased. Engineering strain of foams were formed by repetitively compressing the three types of foam. The engineering strain of PU was smaller than that of IP and PH. Compressive stress and recovery force of IP and PH at certain strain were decreased with repetitive compression, but that of PU was not noticeably changed.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.38-43
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• 2001

The interfacial adhesive joining characteristics of the foams are very important for the structural integrity of sandwich structures. Peel strength is one of the best criteria for the interfacial characteristics of the sandwich structures and peel energy is most commonly used for the interfacial characteristics. The peel strength is the first peak force per unit width of bond line required to produce progressive separation by the wedge or other crack opening type action of two adherends where one or both undergo significant bending and the peel energy is the surface active energy per unit width of bond line. In this work, to investigate the strengthening effect of resin treatment on the interfacial surface of foam material, peel strength and peel energy of epoxy resin treated polyurethane foam core sandwich structures were obtained by the cleavage peel tests and compared with those of non surface treated polyurethane foam core sandwich structures.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.443-448
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• 2007

To improve the sound damping effect of flexible polyurethane foam, with an open-cell structure, various plate-like fillers, such as bentonite, organophilic clay and sodium montmorillonite intercalated with poly(ethylene glycol), were incorporated for the creation of nanocomposites. The plate-like fillers effectively improved the sound damping within the high frequency range. The structures of the nanocomposites and foam were examined using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical properties and flammability of the foams were also examined.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.448-454
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• 2003

We studied on the removal of toluene vapors in a lab-scale biofilter. There are three biofilters packed with reticulated polyurethane foams of different porosities of 15, 25, 45 PPI (Pore Per Inch) as media. A toluene-degrading strain (Pseudomonas Putida KCCM 11348, ATCC 12633) was naturally immobilized on the filter media by circulating the culture media. Three biofilters were operated under different sets of continuous experiments, varying both the design and operation parameters such as the inlet toluene concentration and the flow rate. Maximum elimination capacity of 115.5g/㎥hr of biofilter packed with foams of 25 PPI was obtained for toluene degradation. The effect of operating conditions such as flow rate, inlet toluene concentration and porosity on the performance of the biofilter was investigated.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.159-168
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• 2002

Polyurethane foams were produced by using a homogenizer as a mixing equipment. Effects of stirring speed on the foam structure were investigated with SEM observations. Variation of the bubble size, density of the foam, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity were studied. A hybrid foam consisting of polyurethane foam and commercial polystyrene foam is produced. Mechanical and thermal properties of the hybrid foam were compared with those of pure polyurethane foam. Advancement of flow front during mold filling was observed by using a digital camcorder. Four types of mold geometry were used for mold filling experiments. Flow during mold filling was analyzed by using a two-dimensional control volume finite element method. Variation of foam density with respect to time was experimentally measured. Creeping flow, uniform density, uniform conversion, and uniform temperature were assumed for the numerical simulation. It was assumed for the numerical analysis that the cavity has thin planar geometry and the viscosity is constant. The theoretical predictions were compared with the experimental results and showed good agreement.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.513-525
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• 2006

In recent decades, biofiltration has been widely accepted for the treatment of contaminated air stream containing low concentration of odorous compounds or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In this study, conventional biofilters packed with flexible synthetic polyurethane (PU) foam carriers were operated to remove toluene from a contaminated air stream. PU foams containing various amounts of pulverized activated carbon (PAC) were synthesized for the biofilter media and tested for toluene removal. Four biofilter columns were operated for 60 days to remove gaseous toluene from a contaminated air stream. During the biofiltration experiment, inlet toluene concentration was in the range of 0-150 ppm and EBRT (i.e., empty bed residence time) was kept at 26-42 seconds. Pressure drop of the biofilter bed was less than 3 mm $H_2O/m$ filter bed. The maximum removal capacity of toluene in the biofilters packed with PU-PAC foam was in the order of column II (PAC=7.08%) > column III (PAC=8.97%) > column I (PAC=4.95%) > column IV (PAC=13.52%), while the complete removal capacity was in the order of column II > column I > column III > column IV. The better biofiltration performance in column II was attributed to higher porosity providing favorable conditions for microbial growth. The results of biodegradation kinetic analysis showed that PU-PAC foam with 7.08% of PAC content had higher maximum removal rate ($V_m$=14.99 g toluene/kg dry material/day) than the other PU-PAC foams. In overall, the performance of biofiltration might be affected by the structure and physicochemical properties of PU foam induced by PAC content.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2846-2851
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• 2012

Effects of ground tire rubber(GTR) and unexpanded $Expancel^{(R)}$ powders on the thermal conducting characteristics of rigid polyurethane foams(PUFs) were studied. Sub-micron sized GTR powders and $Expancel^{(R)}$ powders were used as the foam nucleating agents to improve the thermal insulating properties of the rigid PUFs. As the results, while the thermal conductivities of the GTR filled-PUF samples were increased linearly with GTR contents, those of $Expancel^{(R)}$ filled-PUF samples were decreased a little bit. It was considered from the results that GTR powders might predominantly play a role as the extending fillers. On the other hand, $Expancel^{(R)}$ powders could act as the foam nucleating agents based on the polar surface, showing smaller cell sized PUF with improved insulating characteristics.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.442-449
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• 2010

Polyurethane(PU) prepolymer was synthesized from ethylene oxide/propylene oxide(EO/PO) random polyether polyol, toluene diisocyanate and chain extender such as ethylene glycol and 1,4-butanediol. PU foams having various compositions were fabricated from PU prepolymers with different hard segment contents(%) and mixed foaming solution of different compositions. PU foam from chain extender-introduced PU prepolymer and mixed foaming solution containing glycerin showed better mechanical property than other groups. Various PU foams were tested on their mechanical property, moisture vapor transmission rate, absorption speed, absorptivity, morphology and cell culture test. According to the test, the PU foam fabricated from chain extender-introduced PU prepolymer and mixed foaming solution containing optimum composition of F-68, glycerin and CMC was found to have the best property for wound dressing materials. From in vivo animal study, it was confirmed that above PU foam showed rapid wound recovery.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.185-192
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• 2002

Rigid polyurethane foams (PUFs) were prepared from polymeric 4.4'-diphenyl-methane diisocyanate (PMDI), polyether polyol, 1,4-butane diol, silicone surfactant, and distilled water. The density of the PUF was decreased from 173.7 to 41.7 kg/㎥ with an increase in distilled water from 0.5 to 3.0 php (parts per hundred polyol by weight), respectively, at the 0 php butane diol. The cell size of the PUF increased from 115 to 258 $mu extrm{m}$ with an increase in the amount of distilled water from 0.5 to 3.0 php, respectively, at the 10 php butane diol. It was found that the compressive strength of the PUF increased with the content of distilled water, at the same density. Out of the study for the surfactant effect on the properties of the PUF, it was observed that the cell site of the PUF decreased from 360 to 146 $mu extrm{m}$ with an increase in the amount of the surfactant from 0 to 0.33 php, respectively, but the tell size did not change significantly when the amount of the surfactant exceeded 0.33 php.