• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.32-36
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• 2021

This study was investigated in carbon diffusion behavior of laser-carburized TiZrN coating layer and the changes of mechanical properties. The carbon paste was deposited on TiZrN coatings, and the laser was irradiated to carburize into the coatings. The XRD peak corresponding to the (111) plane shifted to a lower angle after the carburization, showing the lattice expansion by doped carbon. The decreased grain size implied the compression by the grain boundary diffusion of carbon. The XPS spectra for the bonding states of carbon was analyzed that carbon was substitute to nitrogen atoms in TiZrN, as carbide, through the thermal energy of laser. In addition, the combination of sp2 and sp3 hybridized bonds represented the formation of an amorphous carbon. The cross-sectional TEM image and the inverse FFT of the TiZrN coating after carburizing were observed as the wavy shape, confirming the amorphous phase located in grain boundaries. After the carburization, the hardness increased from 34.57 GPa to 38.24 GPa, and the friction coefficient decreased by 83 %. In particular, the ratio of hardness and elastic modulus (H/E) which is used as an index of the elastic recovery, increased from 0.11 to 0.15 and the wear rate improved by 65 %.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.24-31
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• 2022

Petroleum-based plastics are used for various purposes and pose a significant threat to the earth's environment and ecosystem. Many efforts have been taken globally in different areas to find alternatives. As part of these efforts, this study manufactured alginate-based polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blended films by casting from an aqueous solution prepared by mixing 10 wt% petroleum-based PVA with biodegradable, marine biomass-derived alginate. Glutaraldehyde was used as a cross-linking agent, and cardanol, an alkyl phenol-based bio-oil extracted from cashew nut shell, was added in the range of 0.1 to 2.0 wt% to grant antibacterial activity to the films. FTIR and TGA were performed to characterize the manufactured blended films, and the tensile strength, degree of swelling, and antibacterial activity were measured. Results obtained from the FTIR, TGA, and tensile strength test showed that alginate, the main component, was well distributed in the PVA by forming a matrix phase. The brittleness of alginate, a known weakness as a single component, and the low thermal durability of PVA were improved by cross-linking and hydrogen bonding of the functional groups between alginate and PVA. Addition of cardanol to the alginate-based PVA blend significantly improved the antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. coli. The antibacterial performance was excellent with a death rate of 98% or higher for S. aureus and about 70% for E. coli at a contact time of 60 minutes. The optimal antibacterial activity of the alginate-PVA blended films was found with a cardanol content range between 0.1 to 0.5 wt%. These results show that cardanol-containing alginate-PVA blended films are suitable for use as various antibacterial materials, including as food packaging.