• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.13-27
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• 1988

Two asbestos slate manufacturing and seven asbestos textile plants in Korea were surveyed from May 20 to July 2, 1987. The purposes of this study were to evaluate 1) worker exposure to asbestos, 2) compliance to the standards and 3) the efficiency of existing local exhaust systems. Sixty-two personal samples and eighty-three area samples were collected and analyzed using "NIOSH 7400" method. Results of this study were as follows. 1. The asbesots exposure concentrations in asbestos textile plants were 1.3 - 14.3 fibers/cc(geometric mean(GM), 4.4 fibers/cc). 2. Worker exposure level to asbestos fiber in asbestos slate manufacturing industry was 0.21 fibers/cc during wet processing, which is below the Korean Standard of 2 fibers/cc. 3. Most local exhaust systems installed in asbestos textile plants were inadequately designed. 4. Ninety-six percent of the 145 samples exceeded the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) of 0.2 fibers/cc and forty-nine percent of the samples exceeded the Korean Standatd of 2 fibers/cc.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.711-720
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• 2009

Leaf fibers have many good properties; they are strong, long, cheap, abundant and bio-degradable. Since they, however, contain a great quantity of non-cellulose components, they have been used for the materials of mats, ropes, bags and nets rather than those of clothing. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of leaf fibers in order to promote the use of leaf fibers for the materials of clothing as well as develop the high value-added textile fibers. Leaf fiber plants including New Zealand Flax, Henequen and Banana plant, which have various nature and shape, were used. New Zealand Flax and Henequen leaves were cut from lower part of plants. Banana leaves and pseudo-stems were peeled and cut from the stem of Banana plants. First, the thin outer skins like film of leaves, veins and stems were removed before retting. The chemical retting had been processed for 1hour, at 100 in 0.4% $H_2SO_4$ aqueous solution(liquid ratio 50:1). Then, the retted leaf fibers had been soaked for 1hour, at room temperature in 0.5% NaClO solution(v/v) to remove the miscellaneous materials. We investigated the physical characteristics of three leaf fibers including the transversal and longitudinal morphology, the contents(%) of pectin, lignin and hemicellulose, the length and diameter of fibers, the tensile strength of the fiber bundles, and the fiber crystallinity and the moisture regain(%). The lengths of fiber from three leaf fibers were similar to their leaf lengths. The fiber bundles were composed of the cellulose paralleled to the fiber axis and the non-cellulose intersecting at right angle with the fiber axis. The diameters of New Zealand Flax, Henequen and Banana fibers were $25.13{\mu}m$, $18.16{\mu}m$ and $14.01{\mu}m$, respectively and their tensile strengths were 19.40 Mpa, 32.16 Mpa and 8.45 Mpa, respective. The non-cellulose contents of three leaf fibers were relatively as high as 40%. If the non-cellulose contents of leaf fibers might be controlled, leaf fibers could be used for the materials of textile fiber, non-wovens and Korean traditional paper, Hanjee.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.144-153
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• 1991

This study was conducted to evaluate worker exposure to airborne asbestos fibers by industry, and to evaluate polarized-light microscopy for determining airborne asbestos fibers. A total of 11 plants including asbestos textile, brake-lining manufacturing, slate manufacturing, and automobile maintenance shops were investigated. Rsults of the study are summarized as follows. 1. Worker exposure levels to airborne asbestos fibers were the highest in asbestos textile industry, followed by brake-lining manufacturing, slate manufacturing, and automobile maintenance shops, in order. In asbestos textile industry, large variation of asbestos levels was found by plants. The worst plant indicated airborne fiber concentrations in excess of 10 fibers/cc, however, the best plant showed concentrations within 0.50 fibers/cc. 2. Characterization of airborne fibers by industry indicated that fibers from asbestos textile industry were the longest with the largest aspect ratio. Fibers from automobile maintenance shops were the shortest with the smallest aspect ratio. Based on characteristics of fibers and the highest levels of concentrations, it is concluded that workers in the asbestos textile industry are exposed to the highest risk of producing asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma. 3. Result s obtained using polarized-light microscopy were $43.7{\pm}12.3%$ of the results obtained using phase contrast microscopy. This may be resulted from the worse resolution of polarized-light microscopy than that of phase contrast microscopy. Based on the results, it is recommended that polarized-light microscopy be used for mainly bulk sample analyses and further study be performed to improve the method for determining airborne samples. However, polarized-light microscopy can be used for determining thick fibers.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.53-63
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• 1997

Most cellulose resources come from the higher plants, but bacteria also synthesize same cellulose as in plants. Many scientists have been widely studied on the bacterial cellulose, the process development, manufacturing, even marketing of cellulose fibers. The bacterial celluloses are very different in its physical and morphological structures. These fibers have many unique properties that are potentially and commercially beneficial. The fine fibers can produce a smooth paper with enchanced its strength property. But there gave been few reports on the mechanical properties of the processing of bacterial cellulose into structural materials. This study were performed to elucidate the mechanical properties of sheets prepared from bacterial cellulose. Also reinforcing effect of bacterial cellulose on the conventional pulp paper as well as surface structures by scanning electron microscopy were discussed. Paper made from bacterial cellulose is 10 times much stronger than ordinary chemical pulp sheet, and the mixing of bacterial cellulose has a remarkable reinforcing effect on the papers. Mechanical strengthes were increased with the increase of bacterial cellulose content in the sheet. This strength increase corresponds to the increasing water retention value and sheet density with the increase of bacterial cellulose content. Scanning electron micrographs were shown that fine microfibrills of bacterial celluloses covered on the surfaces of hardwood pulp fibers, and enhanced sheet strength by its intimate fiber bonding.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.75-82
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• 2010

The biometry, morphological properties and chemical composition of bagasse, corn, sunflower, rice, and rapeseed residues plants were analyzed. The results revealed differences in biometry properties and chemical composition of the different types of agricultural resides investigated. The greatest proportion of fiber length (1.32 mm) and cellulose (55.56%) was found in residues of bagasse plants, with a low ash (1.78%) and lignin (20.5%). The lignin of all types of agricultural resides was less than hardwood and softwood. In addition, the rice and rapeseed residues plants had highest amount of ash and extractive component. The slenderness and flexibility ratios of the all types of agricultural resides fibers were similar to some of hardwood and softwood species.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.1366-1375
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• 2008

This studies were carried out in order to develope environmentally-friendly fiber materials and substitute resources of Paper mulberry. Various plant fibers such as New Zealand flax, Indian mallow, Kuzu vine and Yucca were used as raw materials of hand-made papers. We rotted these 4 kinds of plant fibers and removed non-cellulose. After rotting, the pulping rate(%) and the length of fibers in pulps were measured. The physical characteristics of papers made of various plants fiber were investigated and the probabilities of practical use were considered. The results were as follow: The non-cellulose contents of plant fibers were $30{\sim}40%$ and those contents must be lower down to 8% to be able to manufacture the hand made papers. The lignin in pulps were removed almost and the hemicellulose were partially removed to reach up to appropriate level of the pulp rates and fiber lengths. The more hemicellulose removed, the finer fiber thickness were and rapidly the lower Hanji tensile strength were. But the tear strength of these plants of hand-made papers do not decreased so much as tensile strength. So the property of 4 types of plant fibers might be of great advantages to make hand-made papers. Both tensile and tear strengths of Hanji of New Zealand flax, Indian mallow, Kuzu vine and Yucca were higher than Paper mulberry hand-made paper. When 30% of mulberry paper were mixed, the mixing effect showed maximum. Because of the functions of all plant fiber hand-made papers showed better than those of Paper mulberry hand-made paper, 4 types of plant fibers could be substitute Paper mulberry.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.7
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• pp.884-894
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• 2015

Background: Fibers in concrete resist the growth of cracks and enhance the postcracking behavior of structures. The addition of fibers into a conventional reinforced concrete can improve the structural and functional performance of safety-related concrete structures in nuclear power plants. Methods: The influence of fibers on the ultimate internal pressure capacity of a prestressed concrete containment vessel (PCCV) was investigated through a comparison of the ultimate pressure capacities between conventional and fiber-reinforced PCCVs. Steel and polyamide fibers were used. The tension behaviors of conventional concrete and fiber-reinforced concrete specimens were investigated through uniaxial tension tests and their tension-stiffening models were obtained. Results: For a PCCV reinforced with 1% volume hooked-end steel fiber, the ultimate pressure capacity increased by approximately 12% in comparison with that for a conventional PCCV. For a PCCV reinforced with 1.5% volume polyamide fiber, an increase of approximately 3% was estimated for the ultimate pressure capacity. Conclusion: The ultimate pressure capacity can be greatly improved by introducing steel and polyamide fibers in a conventional reinforced concrete. Steel fibers are more effective at enhancing the containment performance of a PCCV than polyamide fibers. The fiber reinforcementwas shown to bemore effective at a high pressure loading and a lowprestress level.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.171-176
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• 2004

Fiber fineness characteristics are important for yarn production and quality. In this paper, degummed bast fibers such as hemp, flax and ramie have been examined with the Optical Fiber Diameter Analyzer (OFDA100 and OFDA2000) systems for fiber fineness, in comparison with the conventional image analysis and the Wira airflow tester. The correlation between the results from these measurements was analysed. The results indicate that there is a significant linear co-relation between the fiber fineness measurement results obtained from those different systems. In addition, the mean fiber width and its coefficient of variation obtained from the OFDA100 system are smaller than those obtained from the OFDA2000 system, due to the difference in sample preparation methods. The OFDA2000 system can also measure the fiber fineness profile along the bast fiber plants, which can be useful for plant breeding.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.756-765
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• 2015

Background: Fibers have been used in cement mixture to improve its toughness, ductility, and tensile strength, and to enhance the cracking and deformation characteristics of concrete structural members. The addition of fibers into conventional reinforced concrete can enhance the structural and functional performances of safety-related concrete structures in nuclear power plants. Methods: The effects of steel and polyamide fibers on the shear resisting capacity of a prestressed concrete containment vessel (PCCV) were investigated in this study. For a comparative evaluation between the shear performances of structural walls constructed with conventional concrete, steel fiber reinforced concrete, and polyamide fiber reinforced concrete, cyclic tests for wall specimens were conducted and hysteretic models were derived. Results: The shear resisting capacity of a PCCV constructed with fiber reinforced concrete can be improved considerably. When steel fiber reinforced concrete contains hooked steel fibers in a volume fraction of 1.0%, the maximum lateral displacement of a PCCV can be improved by > 50%, in comparison with that of a conventional PCCV. When polyamide fiber reinforced concrete contains polyamide fibers in a volume fraction of 1.5%, the maximum lateral displacement of a PCCV can be enhanced by ~40%. In particular, the energy dissipation capacity in a fiber reinforced PCCV can be enhanced by > 200%. Conclusion: The addition of fibers into conventional concrete increases the ductility and energy dissipation of wall structures significantly. Fibers can be effectively used to improve the structural performance of a PCCV subjected to strong ground motions. Steel fibers are more effective in enhancing the shear performance of a PCCV than polyamide fibers.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2008

The utilization of non-woody fibers with the fast growing annual plants has occurred in the paper industry to replace wood and preserve environment of the earth. The non-woody fibers generally used for papermaking are paper mulberry, gampi, manila hemp, rice straw, bamboo, and coton linter etc.. Recently Kenaf has been spot-lighted for the same application. Kenaf is an annual plant of Hibiscus species of Malvaceae family. Kenaf, a rapid growing and high harvesting non-woody fiber plant, was identified as one of the promising fiber sources for the production of paper pulp. This study was carried out to investigate the pulping characteristics of Kenaf bast fiber for Hanji (traditional Korean paper) manufacturing by different pulping methods, such as alkali, alkali-peroxide and sulfomethylated pulpings. It was possible to make superior grade of Hanji. Especially sulfomethylated pulping was resulted in superior pulp in terms of higher yields and qualities in comparison to those of the other pulping methods. Hanji from sulfomethylated pulp was shown the highest brightness of over 60% and higher sheet strength. In addition, the morphological features of pulp fibers (pulp compositions) affect to the sheet properties. Therefore the effect of fiber distribution index(FDI) which was calculated from the data of Confocal laser scanning microscopy(CLSM) on the sheet properties of Kenaf Hanji was also discussed.