In this study, nitric acid oxidation with varied treatment temperature and time was conducted on the surfaces of polyacrylonitrile- based ultrahigh modulus carbon fibers. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and surface tension/dynamic contact angle instruments were used to investigate changes in surface topography and chemical functionality before and after surface treatment. Results showed that the nitric acid oxidation of ultrahigh modulus carbon fibers resulted in decreases in the values of the crystallite thickness Lc and graphitization degree. Meanwhile, increased treating temperature and time made the decreases more obviously. The surfaces of ultrahigh modulus carbon fibers became much more activity and functionality after surface oxidation, e.g., the total surface energy of oxidized samples at 80 °C for 1 h increased by 27.7% compared with untreated fibers. Effects of surface nitric acid oxidation on the mechanical properties of ultrahigh modulus carbon fibers and its reinforced epoxy composites were also researched. Significant decreases happened to the tensile modulus of fibers due to decreased Lc value after the nitric acid oxidation. However, surface treatment had little effect on the tensile strength even as the treating temperature and processing time increased. The highest interfacial shear strength of ultrahigh modulus carbon fibers/epoxy composites increased by 25.7% after the nitric acid oxidation. In the final, surface oxidative mechanism of ultrahigh modulus carbon fibers in the nitric acid oxidation was studied. Different trends of the tensile strength and tensile modulus of fibers in the nitric acid oxidation resulted from the typical skin–core structure.

The effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) coating in the presence of polyethyleneimine (PEI) of different molecular weights (MW) on the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of carbon fiber/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) and carbon fiber/epoxy composites was investigated. The IFSS between the carbon fiber and the polymer was evaluated by means of single fiber microbonding test. The results indicated that uses of the carbon fibers uncoated and coated with pristine, low MW PEI-treated, and high MW PEI-treated MWCNT significantly influenced the IFSS of both thermoplastic and thermosetting carbon fiber composites as well as the carbon fiber surface topography. The incorporation of low MW (about 1300) PEI into the carboxylated MWCNT was more effective not only to uniformly coat the carbon fiber with the MWCNT but also to improve the interfacial bonding strength between the carbon fiber and the polymer than that of high MW (about 25,000) PEI. In addition, carbon fiber/epoxy composite exhibited the IFSS much higher than carbon fiber/ABS composite due to the chemical interactions between the epoxy resin and amine groups existing in the PEI-treated MWCNT.

In this study, Ni nanoparticle supported by graphene oxide (GO) (Ni-GO) is successfully synthesized through hydrothermal synthesis and calcination, and Cr(VI) is extracted from aqueous solution. The morphology and structure of Ni- GO composites are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), trans mission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and XRD confirms the high dispersion of Ni nanoparticle after support by GO. Loading Ni on GO can obviously enhance the stability of Ni-GO composites. It can be calculated from TGA that the mass percentage of Ni is about 60.67%. The effects of initial pH and reaction time on Cr(VI) removal ability of Ni-GO are investigated. The results indicate that the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) is greater than that of bared GO. Ni-GO shows fast removal capacity for Cr(VI) (<25 min) with high removal efficiency. Dynamic experiments show that the removal process conforms to the quasi-second order model of adsorption, which indicates that the rate control step of the removal process is chemical adsorption. The removal capacity increases with the increase of temperature, indicating that the reaction of Cr(VI) on Ni-GO composites is endothermic and spontaneous. Combined with tests and characterization, the mechanism of Cr(VI) removal by rapidly adsorption on the surface of Ni-GO and reduction by Ni nanoparticle is investigated. The above results show that Ni-GO can be used as a potential remediation agent for Cr(VI)-contaminated groundwater.

There is increasing demand for the development of a new material with high strength, high stiffness, and good electrical conductivity that can be used for high-voltage direct current cables. In this study, we develop aluminumbased composites containing C60 fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, or graphene using a powder metallurgical route and evaluate their strength, stiffness, coefficient of thermal expansion, and electrical conductivity. By optimizing the process conditions, a material with a tensile strength of 800 MPa, an elastic modulus of 90 GPa, and an electrical conductivity of 40% IACS is obtained, which may replace iron-core cables. Furthermore, by designing the type and volume fraction of the reinforcement, a material with a tensile strength of 380 MPa, elastic modulus of 80 GPa, and electrical conductivity of 54% IACS is obtained, which may compete with AA 6201 aluminum alloys for use in all-aluminum conductor cables.

Nanostructured ZnO materials have been studied extensively because of their functional properties. This paper presents a composite material of zinc oxide quantum dots (ZnO QDs) and porous carbon using a one-step carbonization process. The direct carbonization of a metal–organic complex generates mesostructured porous carbon with a homogeneous distribution of ZnO QDs. The structural and morphological properties are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The resulting ZnO QDs@porous carbon composite delivers a high specific capacity of 990 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1, 357 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1, and high reversibility when evaluated as an anode for lithium ion batteries.

Compared to carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene possesses high strength due to wrinkled surface texture caused by a high density of surface defects which benefits more contact with the polymer material than a rolled-up CNT. In the present review, we have discussed and compared the various properties of CNTs (1-D) and graphene (2-D) obtained in experimental results. The effects of covalent and non-covalent functionalization of CNTs and graphene on the properties of its composites have also been reviewed and compared. A comparative analysis has been carried out between CNTs and graphene-reinforced polymer composites. Furthermore, the synergetic effects of CNTs and graphene hybrid nanofiller on the mechanical properties of polymer composites have also been briefly discussed. Finally, this review concludes with the potential application and future challenges are discussed with regards to filler and their polymer composites.

MnO2 can be potentially utilized as an electrode material for redox capacitors. The deposition of MnO2 with poor electrical conductivity onto porous carbons supplies them with additional conductive paths; as a result, the capacitance of the electrical double layer formed on the porous carbon surface can be utilized together with the redox capacitance of MnO2. However, the obtained composites are not generally suitable for industrial production because they require the use of expensive porous carbons and/or inefficient fabrication methods. Thus, to develop an effective preparation procedure of the composite, a suitable structure of porous carbons must be determined. In this study, MnO2/C composites have been prepared from activated carbon gels with various pore sizes, and their electrical properties are investigated via cyclic voltammetry. In particular, mesoporous carbons with a pore size of around 20 nm form a composite with a relatively low capacitance (98 F/g-composite) and poor rate performance despite the moderate redox capacitance obtained for MnO2 (313 F/g-MnO2). On the other hand, using macro-porous carbons with a pore size of around 60 nm increases the MnO2 redox capacitance (399 F/g-MnO2) as well as the capacitance and rate performance of the entire material (203 F/g-composite). The obtained results can be used in the industrial manufacturing of MnO2/C composites for supercapacitor electrodes from the commercially available porous carbons.

This study developed a flame-retardant fiber-reinforced composite material that satisfies the required regulations of railway vehicle interior parts for the purpose of reducing weight and simplifying the production process using SMC(sheet molding compounds) composite materials. It is essential to secure flame-retardant performance that minimizes flames and smoke for the safe evacuation of passengers in case of fire for interior parts of railway vehicles. In this study, the resin for SMC was developed by adding various flame retardant materials such as vinyl ester (halogen-based and phosphorus-based) and antimony trioxide, and chopped glass fibers were used as the reinforcing material. As a result of preparing specimens for phosphorus-based and halogen-based SMC materials, and comparing the flame retardant performance, the phosphorus-based SMC material had an oxygen index of 36.1, smoke density (1minute 30 seconds, 4minutes, 10minutes) of 1.7, 51.5, 195.1. It was measured with a toxicity index of 0.05 R and average heat for sustained burning of 4.5MJ/m, which satisfies all the flame retardant standards required for interior parts of railway vehicles, and it was found that most of the performance was better than that of halogen-based SMC.

본 논문에서는 Needle-punched C/SiC 복합재료 해석을 위한 효율적인 멀티스케일 해석기법을 소개한다. 기존 Needle-punching으 로 인해 복잡한 미소구조를 갖는 NP 복합재료는 기존의 제안된 복합재료 멀티스케일 기법으로 물성을 계산하는 것은 한계가 있어 왔다. 이를 극복하기 위해 micro-CT 이미지 촬영을 통해 NP 복합재료의 미소구조를 면밀히 파악할 수 있었고, 이미지 프로세싱을 바탕으로 실제구조와 직접적으로 대응할 수 있는 3D high fidelity 모델을 구축하였다. 또한 유한요소해석에 맞춰 요소크기를 조절할 수 있는 sub-region processing 소개를 바탕으로 효율적인 유한요소해석을 수행하였다. NP 복합재료의 미소구조 거동뿐만 아니라, macro-scale 구조해석의 적용을 위해 subcell 모델링을 제안하였다. Needle-punching에 의한 Z축 NP 섬유의 규칙적인 간격을 이용하여 모델링을 수행할 수 있었다. 제안한 두 종류의 모델은 균질화 기법을 이용하여 등가거동 및 등가물성을 파악하였으며, 추가적인 실험 결과와의 비교를 통해 검증을 수행하였다.

In order to improve the thermal shock and ablation resistance of high thermal conductivity carbon/carbon composites, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were introduced by electrophoretic deposition. After modification, the flexural strength of the composites increases by 53.0% due to the greatly strengthened interfaces. During thermal shock between 1100 °C and room temperature for 30 times, the strength continues to increase, attributed to the weakened interfaces in favor of fiber and CNT pull-out. By introducing CNTs at interfaces, thermal conductivity of the composites along the fiber axial direction decreases and that along the fiber radial direction increases. As the thermal shock process prolongs, since the carbon structure integrity of CNT and matrix in the modified composites is improved, the conductivity increases whatever the orientation is, until the thermal stress causes too many defects. As for the anti-ablation performance, the mass ablation rates of the CNT-modified composites with fibers parallel to and vertical to the flame decrease by 69.6% and 43.9% respectively, and the difference in the mass ablation rate related with fiber orientations becomes much less. Such performance improvement could be ascribed to the reduced oxidative damage and the enhanced interfaces.

최근에는 대규모 건축 및 토목 구조물로 인해 건설 부재의 고강도 및 경량화에 대한 요구가 높아지고 있다. 기존의 경량 시멘트 복합체의 경우 단위 체적 중량이 낮아질 수 있으나 강도 저하 문제가 발생한다. 일반적으로 경량화를 위해서는 시멘트 복합체를 배합할 때 일반 경량골재와 고무경량골재, 플라스틱 펠릿 등 다양한 인공 경량골재를 이용한 시멘트 복합체를 혼 합하여 경량화를 확보할 수 있다. 이 중 시멘트 복합체의 인공 경량골재로 플라스틱을 사용하면 상대적으로 골재 자체의 강도를 확보할 수 있지만 재료의 표면 특성으로 인해 시멘트 페이스트에 부착하는데 불리하고 골재로서의 사용이 불리하다. 이에 본 연구에서는 골재로 가장 적합한 플라스틱의 유형을 선택하기 위해 다양한 유형의 플라스틱 시멘트 화합물을 변수로 하여 실험을 진행하였고 실험 결과 플라스틱의 비중이나 표면 재질에 의해서 시멘트 복합체의 물리적 성질이 변화하는 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

Indoor air contaminated with various pollutants commonly poses a risk to human health, and the need for installing air purifiers has been increasing. However, in commercial air purifiers pollutants-removal efficiency and durability are generally low. Since silver nano-composites are known to have catalytic oxidation and antibacterial capacities, it was anticipated to be applicable for indoor air purifiers. In this study, silver nano-composites were applied to granular activated carbon and scrubber solutions to treat a mixture of three air pollutants including toluene, formaldehyde, and bioaerosol. In the activated carbon deposited with silver nano-particles, the specific surface area decreased, resulting in a 10% loss of adsorption capacity for toluene. However, the removal efficacy of formaldehyde and bioaerosol increased by 10% due to the catalytic oxidation and antibacterial capacities. In the scrubber operation with silver nano-particles, the removal rates of formaldehyde and bioaerosol improved by 20%, while toluene removal was not observed. When the activated carbon column and the scrubber was connected in series, toluene was mainly removed by the activated carbon, and the removal rates of formaldehyde and bioaerosol increased in the presence of silver nano-particles. Consequently, for the improvement of indoor air quality, it is deemed appropriate to apply silver nano-material to indoor environments contaminated with pollutant mixtures.

In this study, epoxy composites were reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes and fused silica particles, dispersing the fillers within the epoxy resin based on a simple physical method using only shear mixing and ultrasonication. The hybrid composite specimens with 0.6 wt% of carbon nanotubes and 50 wt% of silica particles showed improved mechanical properties, with increase in tensile strength and Young’s modulus up to 12 and 37%, respectively, with respect to those of the baseline specimens. The experimental results showed that the low thermal expansion of the silica particles improved the thermal stability of the composites compared with that of the baseline specimen, whereas the thermal expansion slightly increased, due to the increased heat transfer from the exterior to the interior of specimens by the carbon nanotube filler. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the hybrid composite specimen reinforced with 0.6 wt% of carbon nanotubes and 50 wt% of silica particles was decreased by 25%, and the thermal conductivity was increased by about 84%, compared with those of the baseline specimen.

In this study, the effects of kaolin addition on the properties of reticulated porous diatomite-kaolin composites are investigated. A reticulated porous diatomite-kaolin composite is prepared using the replica template method. The microstructure and pore characteristics of the reticulated porous diatomite-kaolin composites are analyzed by controlling the PPI value (45, 60, and 80 PPI) of the polyurethane foam (which are used as the polymer template), the ball-milling time (8 and 24 h), and the amount of kaolin (0–50 wt. %). The average pore size decreases as the amount of kaolin increases in the reticulated porous diatomite-kaolin composite. As the amount of kaolin increases, it can be determined that the amount of inter-connected pore channels is reduced because the plate-shaped kaolin particles connect the gaps between irregular diatomite particles. Consequently, a higher kaolin percentage affects the overall mechanical properties by improving the pore channel connectivity. The effect of kaolin addition on the basic properties of the reticulated porous diatomite-kaolin composite is further discussed with characterization data such as pore size distribution, scanning electron microscopy images, and compressive strength.