• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2846-2851
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• 2012

Effects of ground tire rubber(GTR) and unexpanded $Expancel^{(R)}$ powders on the thermal conducting characteristics of rigid polyurethane foams(PUFs) were studied. Sub-micron sized GTR powders and $Expancel^{(R)}$ powders were used as the foam nucleating agents to improve the thermal insulating properties of the rigid PUFs. As the results, while the thermal conductivities of the GTR filled-PUF samples were increased linearly with GTR contents, those of $Expancel^{(R)}$ filled-PUF samples were decreased a little bit. It was considered from the results that GTR powders might predominantly play a role as the extending fillers. On the other hand, $Expancel^{(R)}$ powders could act as the foam nucleating agents based on the polar surface, showing smaller cell sized PUF with improved insulating characteristics.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.676-681
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• 2007

A process designed to synthesize rigid polyurethane foam (PUF) with insulative properties via the modulation of PUF cell size via the addition of clay and the application of ultrasound was assessed. The blowing agents utilized in this study include water, cyclopentane, and HFC-365mfc, all of which are known to be environmentally-friendly blowing agents. The rigid PUFs were prepared from polymeric 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (PMDI) and polyether polyol with a density of $50kg/m^3$. In addition, rigid PUFs/clay nanocomposites were synthesized with clay modified by PMDI with and without the application of ultrasound. The PUF generated using water as a blowing agent evidenced the highest tensile strength. The tensile strength of the PUF/nanocomposites was higher than that of the neat PUF and the strength was even higher with the application of ultrasound. The cell size of the PUF/clay nanocomposites was less than that of the neat PUF, regardless of the type of blowing agent utilized. It appears that the higher tensile strength and lower cell size of the PUF/clay nanocomposites may be attributable to the uniform dispersion of the clay via ultrasonic agitation. The thermal conductivity of the PUF/clay nanocomposites generated with HCFC-141b evidenced the lowest value when PUF/clay nanocomposites were compared with other blowing agents, including HFC-365mfc, cyclopentane, and water. Ultrasound has also proven effective with regard to the reduction of the thermal conductivity of the PUF/clay nanocomposites with any of the blowing agents employed in this study. It has also been suggested that the uniformly dispersed clay particles in the PUF matrix function as diffusion barriers, which prevent the amelioration of the thermal insulation property.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.488-494
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• 2003

We have fabricated gelatin-immobilized polyurethane foams (PUFG) by dipping polyurethane foam (PUF) in an aqueous solution containing gelatin and by subsequent reaction with glutaraldehyde after freeze-drying. Gelatin aqueous solutions of different concentrations were used as the dipping solutions to control the amount of immobilized gelatin. The average pore size of PUF decreased with an increase in gelatin concentration. It was found from the hepatocyte adhesion experiment that the amount of hepatocytes seeded on PUFG1, prepared by using a 1% aqueous gelatin solution, was higher than that on other PUFGs. The hepatocytes inoculated in PUFG1, were slightly aggregated as the incubation time increased. The cells inoculated in PUFG1 showed higher ammonia removal ability than those monolayer-cultured on a gelatin-immobilized polystyrene dish (PSG) after 1 and 4 days of incubation time. The inoculated cells exhibited higher albumin secretion relative to monolayer-cultured hepatocytes on PSG. Albumin secretion by hepatocytes seeded on PUFG1 was increased by the presence of serum and was further increased by both the presence of serum and cytokines. The results obtained from a 3-(3,4-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay indicated that PUFG can provide a better microenvironment for hepatocyte culture along with nutrition and metabolite transfer through the high porosity of PUF.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.297-303
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• 2015

Ammonium polyphosphate-polyurethane foam composite (APP-PUF) was prepared from poly(adipate)diol/ammonium polyphosphate composite (f = 2), polyether polyol (f = 4.6), and PMDI (f = 2.5). As a blowing agent, $H_2O$ was used at various concentrations. The thermal decomposition behavior, morphology, closed-cell content, and density of APP-PUF were characterized. At the $H_2O$ concentrations lower than 3.5 php, the cell size of pure polyurethane foams (PUF) and APP-PUFs were close each other. As the $H_2O$ concentration became greater than 5.0 php, the cell size of the PUFs greatly increased compared to that of APP-PUFs. Addition of 1.5~1.9 wt% ammonium polyphosphate to the PUFs greatly enhanced the thermal stability of the PUFs, so 50 wt% residual temperature of APP-PUFs increased to $380{\sim}488^{\circ}C$, which were $30{\sim}70^{\circ}C$ higher than those of the PUFs. Thermal stability of the PUFs and APP-PUFs increased with $H_2O$ content and then decreased once $H_2O$ content exceeded 5 php.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.427-431
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• 2008

The rigid polyurethane foams (PUF) were prepared using polyols with 90, 110, 130, and 150 isocyanate index. The effect of sea water on the physical properties of PUF with the increase in isocyanate (NCO) index and ageing time was investigated. Tensile strengths and compressive strengths of the PUFs decreased up to 10% and 7% with an increase in ageing time, respectively. Cell morphology of the PUF under sea water was turned out to be the same as that in the ambient condition. It was observed that $T_g$ and tensile modulus of the PUF under sea water increased. The results showed an additional cross-link reaction of non-reacted MDI and the change of NCO peak as observed from FT-IR spectrum.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2007

The preparation of oil absorbent using waste polyurethane was studied. And the effects of shape, size, and contents of waste polyurethane foam was investigated. The waste foam was treated in shape of powder, cube and bar type generated from rigid sandwich panel process. The tests for flexural strength, combustibility, and water absorptivity were carried out to investigate the mechanical and physical properties of the recycled foams. And the cell microstructure was evaluated through Scanning Electron Micrograph. The recycled foam containing powder-shaped underfilled and showed poor properties that was generated through reactivity of the resins and increasing of slurry viscosity. For the recycled foam with the cube and bar-shaped, the underfilling was caused by interference between the waste PUFs and increasing surface areas of PUF. Low cell density, non-uniformity of cell shape and size, and low adhesion of the boundary surface (new/recycled) was showed as a result of the poor properties. Considering underfilling and the properties of PUF (new/recycled), maximum recycle contents were less than 20 wt% for the powder and above 40 wt% for the cube and bar.

• Composites Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2021

Polyurethane foam (PUF) can be manufactured in soft, semi-rigid, and hard forms, so it is used in various fields industrially. Among them, rigid PUF has excellent mechanical properties and low thermal conductivity, and is used as a thermal insulation material for buildings and as a cold insulation material in the natural gas transportation field. In this field, there is a steady demand on higher mechanical strength and lower thermal conductivity. In this study, a rigid PUF was manufactured, and the microstructure and physical properties were studied according to the impeller type (propeller, dispersed turbine) of the agitator. Through FE-SEM and Micro-CT analysis, it was confirmed that the average pore size of the foam manufactured with the dispersed turbine was 21.5% smaller than that of the pore made by the propeller. The compressive strength was improved by 15.4%, and the thermal conductivity decreased by 3.1% in the foam with small pores. This result can be utilized for fabricating PUF composites.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2003

A Pseudomonas sp. strain NGK1 (NCIM 5120) capable of utilizing salicylate was immobilized in alginate and polyurethane foam (PUF). The degradation rate of salicylate by freely suspended cells was compared with the degradation rate by immobilized cells. In an initial 20 and 40 mM salicylate, free cells ($2{\times}10^{11}\;cfu\;ml^{-1}$) degraded to 16 and 14 mM, alginate-entrapped cells degraded to 18 and 26 mM, and PUF-entrapped cells degraded to 20 and 32 mM salicylate, respectively, in batch cultures. The alginate-and PUF-entrapped cells were used in repeated batch and continuous culture systems. The efficiency of both the immobilized systems f3r the degradation of salicylate was compared. It has been observed that the PUF-entrapped cells could be reused for more than 20 cycles whereas alginate-entrapped cells could be reused for a maximum of only 12 cycles, after which a decrease in degradation rat was observed with the initial 20 and 40 mM salicylate. The continuous degradation of sallcylate by freely suspended cells showed a negligible degradation rate of salicylate when compared with immobilized cells. With the immobilized cells in both alginate and polyurethane foam, the degradation rate increased with an increase in the dilution rate up to $2\;h^{-1}$ for 20 mM, and $1.5\;h^{-1}$ for 40 mM salicylate. The results revealed that PUF-entrapped cells were more efficient for the degradation of salicylate than alginate-entrapped cells and freely suspended cells.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 2010

The diffusion and partition coefficients of polyurethane foam (PUF) are estimated using a microbalance experiment and small chamber test. The microbalance is used to measure sorption/desorption kinetics and equilibrium data. When the diffusion condition is controlled in the chamber of the sample, interactions between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and PUF can lead to the estimation of a relatively homogenous rate of mass transfer in the interiors and surfaces of PUF. The estimates of the material/air partition coefficient (K) and the material-phase diffusion coefficient (D) are shown to be independent of the concentrations of VOCs. This approach, if applied to a diffusion-controlled or physically-based model, can facilitate more precise prediction of their source/sink behavior. Although further research and more rigorous validation is needed, an emission model applied with the diffusion and partition coefficients from this research holds promise for the improvement of reliability in predicting the behavior of VOCs emitted from porous building materials by D and K.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.291-297
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• 2019

Polyurethane foam is the most efficient, high-performance insulation material, used for liquefied natural gas carrier (LNGC) insulation. Because LNGC is exposed to sloshing impact load due to ship motion of 6 degrees of freedom, polyurethane foam should be sufficient dynamic properties. The dynamic properties of these polyurethane foam depends on temperature and density. Therefore, this study investigates the dynamic response of polyurethane foam for various temperature($25^{\circ}C$, $-70^{\circ}C$, $-163^{\circ}C$) and density($90kg/m^3$, $113kg/m^3$, $134kg/m^3$, $150kg/m^3$) under drop impact test with impact energy of 20J, 50J, and 80J. For dynamic response was evaluated in terms of peak force, peak displacement, absorb energy, and the mechanical property with minimized density effects. The results show the effect of temperature and density on the polyurethane foam material for the dynamic response.