Carbon materials were synthesized by pyrolysis from fibers of Corn-straw (Zea mays), Rice-straw (Oryza sativa), Jute-straw (Corchorus capsularis) Bamboo (Bombax bambusa), Bagass (Saccharum officinarum), Cotton (Bombax malabaricum), and Coconut (Cocos nucifera); these materials were characterized by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectra. All carbon materials are micro sized with large pores or channel like morphology. The unique complex spongy, porous and channel like structure of Carbon shows a lot of similarity with the original anatomy of the plant fibers used as precursor. Waxy contents like tyloses and pits present on fiber tracheids that were seen in the inherent anatomy disappear after pyrolysis and only the carbon skeleton remained; XRD analysis shows that carbon shows the development of a (002) plane, with the exception of carbon obtained from bamboo, which shows a very crystalline character. Raman studies of all carbon materials showed the presence of G- and D-bands of almost equal intensities, suggesting the presence of graphitic carbon as well as a disordered graphitic structure. Carbon materials possessing lesser density, larger surface area, more graphitic with less of an sp3 carbon contribution, and having pore sizes around 10μm favor hydrogen adsorption. Carbon materials synthesized from bagass meet these requirements most effectively, followed by cotton fiber, which was more effective than the carbon synthesized from the other plant fibers.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tensile fracture energy absorption capacity of hybrid fiber reinforced cement composite by strain rate. Experiment result, it was confirmed that PVA suppressed the microcrack around the HSF at the strain rate 101/s, which resulted in the improvement of the pullout resistance of the HSF.

The rate of autogenous shrinkage (AS) development is a fundamental factor that highly influence the crack risk in low water cement mortar. Internal curing (IC) by using SAP has been used to reduce the AS in low water cement mortar and consequently mitigates the high risk of early-age cracking. Super absorbent polymers (SAP) supply additional IC water for hydration of mortar and as a result the effect of self-desiccation was minimized when the amount of internal water reduced. A series of autogenous shrinkage tests were performed considering two different SAP particle sizes in a constant curing temperature and humidity. The results indicated that IC method by using SAP fundamentally solved the problem of autogenous shrinkage in a low water cement ratio mortar.

This paper reports the absorption capacity of super-absorbent polymer (SAP) in water and cement pore solution. This was considered for the free water requirement for self-desiccation when the amount of internal water reduced. The physical state of particles selected from a super-absorbent polymer sample with a particle size distribution 150 μm (SAP-I) and less than 850 μm (SAP-II) monomers acrylic acid were tested at SAP 0.1g contents and time in minute 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 10, 30, and 60. The test was determined by using tea bag test method. As a result, the size of the polymers particles has a significant effect on the absorption kinetics of these polyacrylate-based polymers.

The energy absorption capacity of ultra high performance fiber reinforced concretes (UHPFRCs) was investigated at high strain rates (45 – 92 s-1) using a strain energy frame impact machine. The UHPFRCs investigated in this study showed much higher energy absorption capacity, fracture energy, ranging 42 and 71 kJ/m2 at high strain rates than that (31 and 43 kJ/m2) at static rate. The energy absorption capacity of UHPFRC at high strain rates was strongly dependent on fiber type and fiber volume content.

본 연구는 자생 벌개미취를 이용하여 다양한 토양에 오염된 중금속의 정화 가능성을 분석하기 위하여 시행되었다. 중금속으로 오염된 논, 밭 및 수림지에 벌개미취를 식재하여 8주간 재배한 후 생육 및 중금속 흡수능을 분석하였다. 벌개미취는 중금속으로 오염된 논, 밭 및 수림지에서 8주 동안 재배한 결과 벌개미취는 중금속 오염 토양에서도 생육이 우수한 것으로 나타나 중금속 내성이 있는 것으로 생각되었다. 또한 중금속에 오염된 다양한 토양에서 벌개미취가 흡수한 비소, 카드뮴, 구리, 납 및 아연의 함량을 분석한 결과, 벌개미취는 5종의 중금속을 모두 흡수하는 것으로 나타났으나, 토양 내 중금속의 함량 및 토성에 따라 흡수능이 각기 다르게 나타났다. 비소, 카드뮴 및 구리의 경우에는 토양 내 중금속 함량에 영향을 많이 받는 것으로 나타났으며, 토양 내 중금속의 함량이 높을수록 흡수능이 증가되었다. 납은 토양 내 중금속의 함량 보다는 토성에 의하여 흡수능이 달라지는 경향을 보였으며, 사질토인 수림지에서 흡수능이 가장 증가되었다. 아연의 흡수능은 토양 내 아연의 함량과 토성이 모두 영향을 미쳤는데, 고농도의 중금속으로 오염된 논과 밭에서 재배하였을 때 아연의 흡수능이 증가하는 것으로 나타났다. 연구의 결과, 벌개미취는 중금속에 대한 내성이 있으며, 다양한 중금속에 대한 흡수능이 우수하므로 중금속으로 오염된 여러 종류의 토양에 적용 가능한 경관식물 소재로 이용할 수 있을 것으로 생각되었다.