• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.204-209
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• 2014

Sodium-montmorillonite ($Na^+$-MMT) was introduced into single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/epoxy composite to investigate the effect of MMT size and MMT/SWCNT ratio on the mechanical and electrical properties of composite. Three different sizes of MMTs were used and all were found to function as effective dispersion aids for SWCNTs. Mechanical properties of SWCNT/epoxy composite increased with MMT content; tending to decrease once the MMT content reached a critical level. However, the surface electrical resistance decreased with increasing MMT content and tended to increase after the critical content was reached. Critical MMT/SWCNT ratio for maximum mechanical properties and minimum electrical resistivity was strongly dependent on the MMT size. Critical MMT/SWCNT ratio was decreased with MMT size.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.153-153
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• 2008

Practical application of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) qualified as a promising material has been limited by either poor dispersion or their insolubility in aqueous or organic media due to formation of bundling by relatively high surface energy. Thus, major attention to overcome this issue has been paid at surface modification of CNTs by functionalization, but this introduces defects to the sidewall of CNTs, consequently perturbing the inherent electronic and optical properties. Therefore, using surfactants is a general approach to disperse SWCNTs with lower damages by which bundled nanotubes could be dispersed up to the level of individuals or small bundles. Here, we have investigated various surfactants for their efficiency in dissolving purified SWCNTs produced by arc discharge in deionized water. To compare the surfactants respectively, we have determined the least amount of each surfactant to suspend the nanotubes under optimized experimental conditions(CNT amount, sonication power, and centrifugation speed, etc.) set on the basis of the most common surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) and discussed the qualitative and quantitative characterization of SWCNT dispersions by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy. Quantitative aspect about nanotube dispersion was that in particular N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (NaDDBS) were found to be effective in dispersing individual tubes.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.122-130
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• 2003

Li/S 이차전지의 유황양극의 전기전도도를 향상시키고 유황이 충방전시 전해질내로 용출되는 것을 방지하기 위하여 multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs)를 thermal CVD 방법으로 제조하여 유황양극에 첨가하였다. 실험결과 첫 사이클에서 Li/S 이차전지의 방전용량은 485mAh/g-sulfur이었고, MWNT 첨가 이후에 유황양극의 cycle life와 rate-capability가 향상되는 것을 관찰할 수 있었다. 그러므로 MWNT는 polysulfide를 유황양극에 흡착시키는 동시에 good electric conductor로서 작용한다는 것을 알 수 있었다.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.357-363
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• 2019

We investigated a synthesis yield and diameter distribution of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) with respect to the growth position in a horizontal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber. Thin films and line-patterned Fe films (0.1 nm thickness) were prepared onto ST-cut quartz substrates as catalyst to compare the growth behavior. The line-patterned samples showed higher growth density and parallel alignment than those of the thin film catalyst samples. In addition, line density of the aligned SWNTs at central region of the chamber was 7.7 tubes/㎛ and increased to 13.9 tubes/㎛ at rear region of the CVD chamber. We expect that the enhanced amount of thermally decomposed feedstock gas may contribute to the growth yield enhancement at the rear region. In addition, the lamina flow in the chamber also contribute to the perfect alignment of the SWNTs based on the value of gas velocity, Reynold number, and Knudsen coefficient we employed.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.402-410
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• 2008

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were currently produced together with some contaminants such as a metallic catalyst, amorphous carbon, and graphitic nanoparticles, which should be sometimes purified for their applications. This study aimed to develop efficient, scalable purification processes but less harmful to SWCNTs. We designed three-step purification processes: acidic treatment, surface functionalization and soxhlet extraction, and heat treatment. During the soxhlet extraction using tetrahydrofuran, specifically, carbon impurities could be easily expelled through a glass thimble filter without any significant loss of CNTs. Finally, SWCNTs were left as a bulky paper on the filter through membrane filtration. Vertically aligned SWCNTs on one side of bulky paper were well developed in a speparation from the filter paper, which were formed by being sucked through the filter pores during the pressurized filtration. The bucky paper showed a very high peak current density of field emission up to $200\;mA/cm^2$ and uniform field emission images on phosphor, which seems very promising to be applied to vacuum microelectronics such as microwave power amplifiers and x-ray sources.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.94-99
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• 2017

Single walled carbon nanotubes were mixed with various metal powders by mechanical ball milling and sintered by spark plasma sintering processes. Two compositional (0.1 and 1 vol%) of the single walled carbon nanotubes were dispersed onto the pure aluminum, 5052 aluminum alloy, pure titanium, Ti6Al4Vanadium alloy, pure copper, and stainless steel 316L. Each composite powders were spark plasma sintered at $600^{\circ}C$ and well synthesized regardless of the matrices. Vickers hardness of the composite materials was measured and they exhibited higher values regardless of the carbon nanotubes composition than those of the pure materials. Moreover, single walled carbon nanotubes reinforced copper matrix composites showed highest enhancement between the other metal matrices system. We believe that low energy mechanical ball milling and spark plasma sintering processes are useful tool for fabricating of the carbon nanotubes-reinforced various metal matrices composite materials. The single walled carbon nanotubes-reinforced various metal matrices composite materials could be used as an engineering parts in many kind of industrial fields such as aviation, transportation and electro technologies etc. However, detail strengthening mechanism should be carefully investigated.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.347-353
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• 2014

We present a synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes(SWNTs) for enhancement of parallel-alignment and density using chemical vapor deposition with methane feed gas. As-purchased ST-cut quartz substrates were heat-treated and line-patterned by electron-beam lithography in order to grow SWNTs with parallel alignment. We investigated the effects of various synthesis parameters such as catalyst oxidation, reduction, and synthesis conditions in order to enhance both tube density and degree of parallel alignment. The condition of $1{\AA}$ of Fe catalyst film, atmospheric oxidation at $750^{\circ}C$ for 10 min, reduction under 400 Torr for 5 min, and growth at $865^{\circ}C$ under 300 Torr yields $33tubes/10{\mu}m$, which is the highest tube density with parallel alignment. Based on the results of atomic force microscope and Raman spectroscopy, it was found that SWNTs have diameter range of 0.8-2.0 nm. We believe that the present work would contribute to the development of SWNTs-based flexible functional devices.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1-7
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• 2019

Materials that can be used for 3D printing have been developed in terms of phase and functionality. Materials should also be easily printed with high accuracy. In recent years, the concept of 4D printing has been extended to materials whose physical properties such as shape or volume can change depending on the environment. Typically, such high-performance 3D printing materials include bio-inks and inks for sensors. This study deals with the optimization of the manufacturing method to improve the functional properties of the pressure sensitive material, which can be used as a sensor based on change of the resistance according to the pressure. Specifically, the number of milling for dispersion, the ratio of hardener for controlling elasticity, and the content of MWCNTs were optimized. As a result, a method of manufacturing a highly sensitive pressure-sensitive ink capable of use in 3D printing was introduced.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.104-109
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• 2021

Tactile sensors and integrated circuits that detect external stimuli have been developed for use in various industries. Most tactile sensors have been developed using the MEMS(micro electro-mechanical systems) process in which metal electrodes and strain sensors are applied to a silicon substrate. However, tactile sensors made of highly brittle silicon lack flexibility and are prone to damage by external forces. Flexible tactile sensors based on polydimethylsiloxane and using a multi-walled carbon nano-tube mixture as a pressure-sensitive material are currently being developed as an alternative to overcome these limitations. In this study, a manufacturing process of pressure-sensitive materials with low initial electrical resistance is developed and applied to the fabrication of flexible tactile sensors. In addition, flexible tactile sensors are developed with pressure-sensitive materials dispensed on a substrate with flexible mechanical properties. Finally, a study is conducted on the change in electrical resistance of pressure-sensitive materials according to the modulus of elasticity of the substrate.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.111-116
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• 2020

Flexible tactile sensors, which are primarily used as grippers in robots, are mainly used to handle highly elastic or highly flexible objects. That is, flexible grippers are used when an object cannot be sufficiently controlled by applying a specific output force or taking a specific grabbing action. This is because a flexible tactile sensor needs to measure the pressure applied directly to held objects while deforming according to the shape of the object to be handled. CNT-based sensors used to be made from a highly flexible polymer to give flexibility and it is known that the sensors are greatly affected by the contact resistance of the terminal that connects the sensor to an electrical circuit; therefore, this paper clarifies the contact resistance of MWCNTs-based flexible tactile sensors and terminals. The effects of main and plating materials for terminals are investigated and the combinations of main and plating materials that exhibit contact resistance are measured in a typical industrial environment.