Purpose: This research was conducted to produce the functional hydrogel ophthalmic lens containing nanoparticles. Methods: Carbon nanoparticles and PEGMEMA were used as additives for the basic combination containing HEMA, MA, and MMA, and the material was copolymerized with EGDMA as the cross-linking agent and AIBN as the initiator. The hydrogel lens was produced by a cast-mold method, and the materials were thermally polymerized at 100° C for an hour. The polymerized lens sample was hydrated in a 0.9% saline for 24 hours before the optical and physical characteristics of the lens were measured. Results: The refractive index, water content, contact angle, light transmittance, and tensile strength were measured to evaluate the physical and optical characteristics of the hydrogel lens. The results showed that the refractive index, water content, contact angle, UV-B light transmittance, UV-A light transmittance, visible light transmittance and tensile strength of the hydrogel lens polymer was 1.4019~1.4281, 43.05~51.18%, 31.95~68.61°, 21.69~58.11%, 35.59~84.26%, 45.85~88.06% and 0.0657~0.1649kgf, respectively. It showed an increase of refractive index and tensile strength while decreased in contact angle and light transmittance. Conclusions: This material can be used for ophthalmic lenses with high performance of wettability, ultraviolet ray blocking effect, and tensile strength. Furthermore, the visible light transmissibility was significantly increased at PEG 10%.

Interconnected meso/microporous activated carbons were prepared from pumpkin seeds using a simple chemical activation method. The porous carbon materials were prepared at different temperatures (PS-600, PS-700, PS-800, and PS-900) and demonstrated huge surface areas (645–2029 m2 g–1) with excellent pore volumes (0.27–1.30 cm3 g–1). The wellcondensed graphitic structure of the prepared activated carbon materials was confirmed by Raman and X-ray diffraction analyses. The presence of heteroatoms (O and N) in the carbon materials was confirmed by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. High resolution transmission electron microscopic images and selected area diffraction patters further revealed the porous structure and amorphous nature of the prepared electrode materials. The resultant porous carbons (PS-600, PS-700, PS-800, and PS-900) were utilized as electrode material for supercapacitors. To our delight, the PS-900 demonstrated a maximum specific capacitance (Cs) of 303 F g–1 in 1.0 M H2SO4 at a scan rate of 5 mV. The electrochemical impedance spectra confirmed the poor electrical resistance of the electrode materials. Moreover, the stability of the PS-900 was found to be excellent (no significant change in the Cs even after 6000 cycles).

The composite of porous silicon (Si) and amorphous carbon (C) is prepared by pyrolysis of a nano-porous Si + pitch mixture. The nano-porous Si is prepared by mechanical milling of magnesium powder with silicon monoxide (SiO) followed by removal of MgO with hydrochloric acid (etching process). The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area of porous Si (64.52 m2g−1) is much higher than that before etching Si/MgO (4.28 m2g−1) which indicates pores are formed in Si after the etching process. Cycling stability is examined for the nano-porous Si + C composite and the result is compared with the composite of nonporous Si + C. The capacity retention of the former composite is 59.6% after 50 charge/discharge cycles while the latter shows only 28.0%. The pores of Si formed after the etching process is believed to accommodate large volumetric change of Si during charging and discharging process.

Amorphous agglomerates of carbon nanospheres (CNS) with a diameter range of 10-50 nm were synthesized using the solution combustion method. High-resolution transmission elec-tron microscopy (HRTEM) revealed a densely packed high surface area of SP2-hybridized carbon; however, there were no crystalline structural components, as can be seen from the scanning electron microscopy, HRTEM, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and ther-mal gravimetric analyses. Electrochemical and thermo catalytic decomposition study results show that the material can be used as a potential electrode candidate for the fabrication of energy storage devices and also for the production of free hydrogen if such devices are used in a fluidized bed reactor loaded with the as-prepared CNS as the catalyst bed.

Silicon-carbon composite was prepared by the magnesiothermic reduction of mesoporous silica and subsequent impregnation with a carbon precursor. This was applied for use as an anode material for high-performance lithium-ion batteries. Well-ordered mesoporous silica(SBA-15) was employed as a starting material for the mesoporous silicon, and sucrose was used as a carbon source. It was found that complete removal of by-products (Mg2Si and Mg2SiO4) formed by side reactions of silica and magnesium during the magnesiothermic reduction, was a crucial factor for successful formation of mesoporous silicon. Successful formation of the silicon-carbon composite was well confirmed by appropriate characterization tools (e.g., N2 adsorption-desorption, small-angle X-ray scattering, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analyses). A lithium-ion battery was fabricated using the prepared silicon-carbon composite as the anode, and lithium foil as the counter-electrode. Electrochemical analysis revealed that the silicon-carbon composite showed better cycling stability than graphite, when used as the anode in the lithium-ion battery. This improvement could be due to the fact that carbon efficiently suppressed the change in volume of the silicon material caused by the charge-discharge cycle. This indicates that silicon-carbon composite, prepared via the magnesiothermic reduction and impregnation methods, could be an efficient anode material for lithium ion batteries.

이 연구에서는 친환경 선박용 재료로 각광받는 탄소나노물질에 대하여 실험적 연구를 수행하였다. 탄소나노물질의 합성을 위한 열원으로서는 대향류 메탄 화염을 이용하였다. 탄소나노물질 합성을 위한 촉매로서는 페로센을 사용하였다. 합성 특성을 파악하기 위한 주요 파라메타로는 대향류 메탄 화염에 수소의 혼합 비율과 샘플링 위치를 변화시켰다. 탄소나노물질의 성향은 SEM과 TEM 이미지를 이용하여 결정되었다. 실험 결과로서는 수소의 혼합 비율이 증가할수록 탄소나노물질의 생성이 잘 이루어졌다. 또한 대향류 메탄 확산화염 내 탄소나노튜브의 생성을 위한 적정 온도로는 1500 K 정도가 적당하다는 것을 알 수 있었다.

Si-C composite with hollow spherical structure was synthesized using ultrasonic treatment of organosilica powder formed by hydrolysis of phenyltrimethoxysilane. The prepared powder was pyrolyzed at various temperatures ranging from 900 to 1300 ˚C under nitrogen atmosphere to obtain optimum conditions for Li-ion battery anode materials with high capacity and cyclability. The XRD and elemental analysis results show that the pyrolyzed Si/C composite at 1100 ˚C has low oxygen and nitrogen levels, which is desirable for increasing the electrochemical capacity and reducing the irreversible capacity of the first discharge. The solid Si-C composite electrode shows a first charge capacity of ~500 mAhg-1 and a capacity fade within 30 cycles of 0.93% per cycle. On the other hand, the electrochemical performance of the hollow Si-C composite electrode exhibits a reversible charge capacity of ~540 mAhg-1 with an excellent capacity retention of capacity loss 0.43% per cycle up to 30 cycles. The improved electrochemical properties are attributed to facile diffusion of Li ions into the hollow shell with nanoscale thickness. In addition, the empty core space provides a buffer zone to relieve the mechanical stresses incurred during Li insertion.

Carbon materials of various morphologies were synthesized by pyrolysis of Soap-nut seeds (Sapindus mukorossi), Jack Fruit seeds (Artocarpus heterophyllus), Date-seeds (Phoenix dactylifera), Neem seeds (Azadirachta indica), Tea leaves (Ehretia microphylla), Bamboo stem (Bambusa bambus) and Coconut fiber (Cocos nucifera), without using any catalyst. Carbon materials thus formed were characterized by SEM XRD and Raman. Carbon thus synthesized varied in size (in μm) but all showed highly porous morphology. These carbon materials were utilized as the anode in Lithium secondary battery. Amongst the various precursors, carbon fibers obtained from Soap-nut seeds (Sapindus mukorossi) and Bamboo stem (Bambusa bambus), even after 100th cycles, showed the highest capacity of 130.29 mAh/g and 92.74 mAh/g respectively. Morphology, surface areas and porosity of carbon materials obtained from these precursors were analyzed to provide interpretation for their capacity to intercalate lithium. From the Raman studies it is concluded that graphitic nature of carbon materials assist in the intercalation of lithium. Size of cavity (or pore size of channels type structure) present in carbon materials were found to facilitate the intercalation of lithium.

Asbestos is being replaced throughout the world among friction materials because of its carcinogenic nature. This has raised an important issue of heat dissipation in the non-asbestos brake pad materials being developed for automobiles etc. It has been found that two of the components i.e. carbon fibres as reinforcement and graphite powder as friction modifier, in the brake pad material, can playa vital role in this direction. The study reports the influence of these modifications on the thermal properties like coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and thermal conductivity along with the mechanical properties of nonasbestos brake pad composite samples developed in the laboratory.

탄소섬유보강폴리머(CFRP)는 경량이며, 성형성 및 작업성이 뛰어나 보수보강재료로서 널리 사용되고 있다. 하지만, 연성재료인 철근과는 달리 CFRP는 취성재료이므로, 철근에서 사용되는 전통적인 설계접근 방법을 적용하는 것은 부적합하다. 연성재료인 철근은 항복이후 요소사이의 응력재분배가 이뤄져 복합요소의 거동은 평균화된다. 따라서 복합요소의 응력 평균은 단위요소의 평균과 같고, 표준편차는 더 작아진다. 따라서 연성재료의 설계값은 증가시킬 수 있으나, 안전측, 실무적 접근에서 고정값을 사용한다. 반면 취성재료의 경우, 응력재분배를 기대하기 어려워 복합요소의 거동은 더 약한 요소에 의해 결정된다. 이에 복합요소의 응력의 평균값과 표준편차는 감소한다. 따라서 취성재료의 설계값은 요소수가 증가할수록 감소한다. 이 논문에서는 취성재료에서 정규분포를 가지는 단위요소가 요소 결합에 따라 와이블 분포를 가지게 됨을 증명하고, 이를 반영하여 하중이 작용하는 면적에 따른 물성치의 보정식을 제안하였다.

This study presents flowable fill material using collected CO2 byproduct, which prevents geotechnical sinking related to underground utilities in the vicinity of downtown areas. The physical and mechanical characteristics of calcium carbonate found using laboratory tests (the uniaxial compressive strength test, comparison of the shear base of dynamic behavior and restriction pressure, the freeze-thawing test) on 3, 7, 14, 28, and 56 days of the flowable fill were investigated and analyzed. The correlations of the unconfined strength, elastic modulus, flow, and w/c were suggested as evaluation indicators of the mechanical characteristics for the calcium carbonate flowable fill.

Graphene oxide (GO)-titania composites have emerged as an attractive heterogeneous photocatalyst that can enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticles owing to their potential interaction of electronic and adsorption natures. Accordingly, TiO2-GO mixtures were synthesized in this study using a simple chemical mixing process, and their heterogeneous photocatalytic activities were investigated to determine the degradation of airborne organic pollutants (benzene, ethyl benzene, and o-xylene (BEX)) under different operational conditions. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results demonstrated the presence of GO for the TiO2-GO composites. The average efficiencies of the TiO2-GO mixtures for the decomposition of each component of BEX determined during the 3-h photocatalytic processes were 26%, 92%, and 96%, respectively, whereas the average efficiencies of the unmodified TiO2 powder were 3%, 8%, and 10%, respectively. Furthermore, the degradation efficiency of the unmodified TiO2 powder for all target compounds decreased during the 3-h photocatalytic processes, suggesting a potential deactivation even during such a short time period. Two operational conditions (air flow entering into the air-cleaning devices and the indoor pollution levels) were found to be important factors for the photocatalytic decomposition of BEX molecules. Taken together, these results show that a TiO2-GO mixture can be applied effectively for the purification of airborne organic pollutants when the operating conditions are optimized.