• Composites Research
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.365-370
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• 2020

The icing formation at aircraft occur problems such as increasing weight of the body, fuel efficiency reduction, drag reduction, the error of sensor, and etc. The viscosity of polyurethane (PU) topcoat was measured at 60℃ in real time to set the pre-curing time. SiO2 nanoparticles were dispersed in ethanol using ultra-sonication method. The SiO2/ethanol solution was sprayed on PU topcoat that was not cured fully with different pre-curing conditions. Surface roughness of SiO2/PU nanocomposites were measured using surface roughness tester and the surface roughness data was visualized using 3D mapping. The adhesion property between SiO2 and PU topcoat was evaluated using adhesion pull-off test. The static contact angle was measured using distilled water to evaluate the hydrophobicity. Finally, the pre-curing time of PU topcoat was optimized to exhibit the hydrophobicity of SiO2/PU topcoat.

• Composites Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.162-169
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• 2024

In this study, PAN(polyacrylonitrile)-based precursor fibers were produced through a wet-spinning process, and their morphologies and graphitization behavior were investigated in the presence of two graphitization catalysts (Ca, Ni). The graphitization catalysts were introduced into the formed pores during hot-water stretching of wet-spun PAN-based precursor fibers. The catalytic effects of graphitization catalysts were examined through crystal structure and Raman analysis. At a relatively low temperature of 1500℃, the graphitization was not significantly affected, whereas at a high temperature of 2400℃, the obtained I_D/I_G value of graphite fiber (GF-Ni100) was decreased by about twice (~0.28) compared to the untreated fibers (GF-AS~0.54). By comparing the I_D/I_G values (GF-Ca100~0.42: GF-Ni100~0.28) of Ca and Ni graphitization catalyst, it was found that the degree of graphitization of Ni graphitization catalyst showed higher influence than that of Ca graphitization catalyst. Moreover, 2D band was also observed, indicating that the graphite plane structures composed of multiple layers were developed. XRD results confirmed that the crystal inter-planar distance (d₀₀₂) of the graphite crystal was slightly decreased after the treatment with the graphitization catalyst, But, the crystal size of Ca-treated graphite fiber (GF-Ca100) was increased by up to ~5 nm.

• Composites Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.209-214
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• 2024

Graphene oxide (GO), known for its high stiffness, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity, is being utilized as a reinforcement in nanocomposite materials. This study evaluates the mechanical properties of epoxy nanocomposites incorporating GO and edge modified GO (E-GO), which has hydroxyl groups substituted only on its edges. GO/E-GO was uniformly dispersed in epoxy resin using ultrasonic dispersion, and mechanical properties were assessed through tensile testing. The results showed that the addition of nanoparticles increased both tensile strength and toughness. The tensile strength of the epoxy without nanoparticles was 74.4 MPa, while the highest tensile strength of 90.7 MPa was observed with 0.3 wt% E-GO. Additionally, the modulus increased from 2.55 GPa to 3.53 GPa with the addition of nanoparticles. Field emission scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surface revealed that the growth of cracks was impeded by the nanoparticles, preventing complete fracture and causing the cracks to split in multiple directions. E-GO, with surface treatment only on the edges, exhibited higher mechanical properties than GO due to its superior dispersion and surface treatment effects. These results highlight the importance of nanoparticle surface treatment in developing high-performance nanocomposite materials.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.88-96
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• 2024

Lithium metal has garnered attention as a promising anode active material thanks to its high specific capacity, energy density, and the lowest reduction potential. However, the formation of dendrites, dendritic crystals that arise during the charge and discharge process, has posed safety and lifetime stability challenges. To resolve this, our study has introduced a novel separator design. This separator features a composite coating of vapor-grown carbon fiber, a conductive material in nanofibers, and silver. We have meticulously studied the impact of this innovative separator on the electrochemical properties of the lithium metal anode, unveiling promising results. To confirm the synergistic effect of VGCF and Ag, a separator with no surface treatment and a separator with only VGCF coated on one side were prepared and compared with the Ag-VGCF-separator. In the case of the bare separator, the Li metal surface is covered with dendrites during the initial charge and discharge process. In contrast, both the VGCF-separator and the Ag-VGCF-separator show Li precipitation inside the conductive coating layer coated on the separator surface. Additionally, the Ag-VGCF-separator showed a more uniform precipitate shape than the VGCF-separator. As a result, the Ag-VGCF-separators show improved electrochemical properties compared to the bare separators and the VGCF-separators.