• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.99-103
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• 2018

Spherical monosized pure aluminum (Al) particles are successfully fabricated by the pulsated orifice ejection method (POEM). The surface reaction between Al and the graphite crucible is investigated by analysing the microstructure and chemical composition of the materials. No significant chemical reaction occurs between Al and the graphite owing to the crystalline Al oxide (${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$) layer generated in the initial state. The ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ layer is clearly observed in all regions between the Al particles and graphite via transmission electron microscopy and confirmed by the selected area diffraction pattern. The morphology of the ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ layer perfectly follows the surface morphology of the graphite crucible, which showed nanoscale roughness. This implies that molten Al could not directly contact graphite even though the surface of the crucible became rough to some extent. However, this passivation phenomenon allowed the successful fabrication of monosized pure Al particles. Therefore, POEM is a useful process at least to manufacture monosized pure Al particles.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.195-201
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• 2016

Composite materials consisting of pure aluminum matrix reinforced with different amounts of graphite particles are successfully fabricated by mechanical ball milling and spark plasma sintering (SPS) processes. The shrinkage rates of the composite powders vary with the amount of graphite particles and the lowest shrinkage value is observed for the composite with the highest amount of graphite particles. The current slopes of time increase with increase in the amount of graphite particles whereas the current slopes of temperature show the opposite trend. The highest thermal conductivity is achieved for the composite with the least amount of graphite particles. Therefore, the thermal properties of the composite materials can be controlled by controlling the amount of the graphite particles during the SPS process.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.11 no.9
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• pp.727-732
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• 1998

Ag-deposited graphite powder was prepared by a chemical reduction method of metal particles onto graphite powder. X-ray diffraction observation of Ag-deposited graphite powder revealed that silver existed in a metallic state, but not in an oxidized one. From SEM measurement, ultrafine silver particles were highly dispersed on the surface of graphite particles. Cylindrical lithium ion secondary battery was manufactured using Ag-deposited graphite anodes and $LiCoO_2$ cathodes. The cycleability of lithium ion secondary battery using Ag-deposited graphite anodes was superior to that of original graphite powder. The improved cycleability may be due to both the reduction of electric resistance between electrodes and the highly durable Ag-graphite anode.

• Carbon letters
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.326-334
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• 2007

In this study, graphite composites were fabricated by warm press molding method to realize commercialization of PEM fuel cells. Graphite composites have been considered as alternative economic materials for bipolar plate of PEM fuel cells. Graphite powder that enables to provide electrical conductivity was selected as the main substance. The graphite powder was mixed with phenolic resin and the mixture was pressed using a warm press method. First of all, the graphite powder was pulverized with a ball mill for the dense packing of composite. As the ball milling time increases, the average size of particles decreases and the size distribution becomes narrow. This allows for improvement of the uniformity of graphite composite. However, the surface electrical resistivity of graphite composite increases as the ball milling time increases. It is due to that graphite particles with amorphous phase are generated on the surface due to the friction and collision of particles during pulverizing. We found that the contact electrical resistivity of graphite particles increases as the particle size decreases. The contact electrical resistivity of graphite powders was reduced due to high molding pressure by warm press molding. This leads to improvement of the mechanical properties of graphite composite. Hydrogen gas impermeability was measured with the graphite composite, showing a possibility of the application for bipolar plate in fuel cell. And, I-V curves of the graphite composite bipolar plate exhibit a similar performance to the graphite bipolar plate.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.130-140
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• 2003

In order to improve the lithium ion battery's performance, the carbon nanofibers were introduced to the anode electrode fabricated with natural graphite particles. The influence of structural adjustment of the particles by the introduction method of carbon nanofibers and the content of carbon nanofibers on the electrical property and charge/discharge characteristics of the electrode were investigated. The electrode fabricated with the mixture of 10 wt% of carbon nanofibers grown separately and 90 wt% of graphite particles showed an excellent discharge capacity of 400 mAh/g and the improved cycle performance. The improved performance could be explained by that the carbon nanofibers shortened and uniformly distributed on the surface of graphite particles by ball milling increased the stability for the intercalation/deintercalation of lithium ion and increased the electrical conductivity due to the closed packing between graphite particles.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.295-301
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• 2010

Multi shell graphite coated Ag nano particles with core/shell structure were successfully synthesized by pulsed wire evaporation (PWE) method. Ar and $CH_4$ (10 vol.%) gases were mixed in chamber, which played a role of carrier gas and reaction gas, respectively. Graphite layers on the surface of silver nano particles were coated indiscretely. However, the graphite layers are detached, when the particles are heated up to $250^{\circ}C$ in the air atmosphere. In contrast, the graphite coated layer was stable under Ar and $N_2$ atmosphere, though the core/shell structured particles were heated up to $800^{\circ}C$. The presence of graphite coated layer prevent agglomeration of nanoparticles during heat treatment. The dispersion stability of the carbon coated Ag nanoparticles was higher than those of pure Ag nanoparticles.

• Korean Journal of Crystallography
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.67-72
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• 2003

Graphite powders were coated with ZrO₂ by the controlled hydrolysis of a DI water, ethanol and DI water+ethanol solutions. The hydrolysis process was carried out with temperature control because of the low wettability of Zr ions to the surface of the graphite. PVA was added to the solution for the enhancement of metal ion adsorption. The surface of the graphite powders coated with ZrO₂ was observed by SEM and TEM. There are two types of ZrO₂ particles with the condition of ZrOCl₂°§8H₂O aqueous solutions were used; (a) primary particles a few nm in size and (b) secondary particles with ∼0.1 ㎛ size were obtained. The graphite powders coated in 50% ethanol-50% DI water solution of Zr(SO₄)₂ㆍ4H₂O have the relatively uniform coating layer and the starting temperature of oxidation was 100℃ higher than the raw graphite.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.38-44
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• 1987

The spiral fluidity of graphite-dispersed Al-Si alloys has been investigated as a function of contents of Si and graphite, and of particle size of graphite. The dispersion of uncoated graphite is carred out by the vortex process of preheat-treated graphite into molten metal. The fluidity of hyper-eutectic Al-Si alloys is observed to the better than that of hypo-eutectic ones. In the case of graphite-dispersed Al-Si alloys they fluidity increases in hypo-eutectic alloys and decreases in hyper-eutectic ones in comparison with that of the corresponding undispersed alloys. Fluidity decreases with an increase of amount of dispersed graphite particles and inversely proportional to the total surface area of graphite particles.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2003

Since the microstructure of functional thin films depends on the dispersion characteristics of dense slurry, it is important to control the agglomerative nature of slurries under processing. The present authors have been discussing the model prediction of agglomerative nature and local rate of agglomeration in dense suspensions. The experiments have been peformed under shear flow using the nearly spherical and oblate type graphite particles. In this study, the experiment has been conducted using water and glycerol as dispersion media. Stress control type rheometer was used to measure the slurry rheology. Local agglomeration of graphite particles has been predicted by using Usui's model. The experimental results show that both the shape and slurry processing method affect on the local dispersion condition. The agglomeration formed by oblate type graphite particles seems to be more difficult to break up than that of spherical particles.

• Carbon letters
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.243-248
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• 2011

Two different types of graphite, such as flake graphite (FG) and spherical graphite (SG), were used as anode materials for a lithium-ion secondary battery in order to investigate their electrochemical performance. The FG particles were prepared by pulverizing natural graphite with a planetary mill. The SG particles were treated by immersing them in acid solutions or mixing them with various carbon additives. With a longer milling time, the particle size of the FG decreased. Since smaller particles allow more exposure of the edge planes toward the electrolyte, it could be possible for the FG anodes with longer milling time to deliver high reversible capacity; however, their initial efficiency was found to have decreased. The initial efficiency of SG anodes with acid treatments was about 90%, showing an over 20% higher value than that of FG anodes. With acid treatment, the discharge rate capability and the initial efficiency improved slightly. The electrochemical properties of the SG anodes improved slightly with carbon additives such as acetylene black (AB), Super P, Ketjen black, and carbon nanotubes. Furthermore, the cyclability was much improved due to the effect of the conductive bridge made by carbon additives such as AB and Super P.