• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.524-529
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• 2020

To increase the mechanical durability of the proton exchange membrane fuel cells, a reinforced membrane in which a support is placed in the polymer membrane is used. The support mainly uses e-PTFE, which is hydrophobic and does not transfer ions, which may cause performance degradation. In this study, we investigated the effect of e-PTFE support on PEMFC performance and electrochemical durability. In this study, the reinforced membrane with the support was compared with the single membrane (non-reinforced membrane). Due to the hydrophobicity of the support, the water diffusion coefficient of the reinforced membrane was lower than that of the single membrane. The reinforced membrane had a lower water diffusion coefficient, resulting in higher HFR, which is the membrane migration resistance of ions, than that of a single membrane. Due to the low hydrogen permeability of the support, the OCV of the reinforced membrane was higher than that of the single membrane. The support was shown to reduce the hydrogen permeability, thereby reducing the rate of radical generation, thereby improving the electrochemical durability of the reinforced membrane.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.508-513
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• 2021

In order to improve the durability of a proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), it is essential to improve the durability of the polymer membrane. In order to improve the durability of the membrane, an e-PTFE support and a radical scavenger are added. In this study, the chemical durability of the reinforced membrane with ePTFE support and the non-reinforced membrane was compared by Fenton reaction. In the Fenton experiment of the polymer membrane without the addition of a radical scavenger, the absorption rate of hydrogen peroxide solution and iron ions through the cross section of the specimen cut into small pieces was higher in the reinforced membrane, so that the fluorine outflow concentration was higher. According to the type and amount of radical scavenger added, the fluorine outflow concentration of the reinforced membrane has a large difference of more than 3 times, indicating that the effect of the radical scavenger was stronger than that of the support.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.296-301
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• 2017

Recently, there are many efforts focused on development of more economical non-fluorinated membranes for PEMFCs (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells). In this study, sulfonated poly (ether ether ketone) (sPEEK) membrane reinforced with poly imide was made to enhance of membrane durability. In order to test durability of single (un-reinforced) membrane and reinforced membrane MEA (Membrane and Electrode Assembly), degradation accelerated stress test was used. Before and after degradation, I-V polarization curve, hydrogen crossover current, electrochemical surface area, membrane resistance and charge transfer resistance were measured. As a result of experiments, hydrogen crossover current of reinforced MEA was lower than that of single MEA, therefor durability of reinforced MEA was higher than that of single MEA. There was not especially short phenomena in reinforced MEA after degradation accelerated stress test.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.171-175
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• 2020

In the proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), the development of a reinforced membrane with improved durability by a support is actively in progress in Korea. In this study, the initial performance and characteristics of four types of reinforced membranes were compared. Reinforced membranes with higher amounts of C-F chains in the polymer membrane showed lower water diffusion coefficients due to the hydrophobicity of the C-F chains. The thicker the polymer membrane, the more the hydrogen permeability decreased and the higher the OCV. Membrane with short resistance below 1.5 Ωcm² showed OCV below 0.9 V and the lowest performance, so short resistance should be above 3.0 Ωcm². Compared with the current standard membrane, there was a similar domestic membrane, which could confirm the possibility of localization of PEMFC polymer membrane.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
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• v.1 no.2 s.2
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• pp.93-100
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• 2001

A stress-strain relationship for reinforced concrete membrane elements subjected to reversed cyclic loading is quite different to that of concrete cylinder subjected to uniaxial compression. The compressive strength of cracked concrete membrane elements is reduced by cracking due to tension in the perpendicular direction. Based on the three reinforced concrete panel tests, a softened stress-strain curve of concrete subjected to reversed cyclic loading is proposed. The proposed model consists of seven stages in the compressive zones and six stages in the tensile zones. The proposed model is verified by comparing to the test results.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
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• 2002.05a
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• pp.163-167
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• 2002

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.533-543
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• 2000

To prevent major cracking and failure during earthquakes, it is important to design reinforced concrete liquid storage structures, such as water and fuel storage tanks, properly for the hydrodynamic pressure loads caused by seismic excitations. There is a discussion in recent Codes that most of the base shear applied to liquid containment structures is resisted by inplane membrane shear rather than by transverse flexural shear. The purpose of this paper is to underline the importance of the membrane force system in carrying the base shear produced by hydrodynamic pressures in both rectangular and cylindrical tank structures. Only rigid tanks constrained at the base are considered. Analysis is performed for both tall and broad tanks to compare their behavior under seismic excitation. Efforts are made to quantify the percentage of base shear carried by membrane action and the consequent procedures that must be followed for safe design of liquid containing storage structures.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.320-325
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• 2010

This paper was carried out to study the preparation condition and the permeation flux of reinforced poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) hollow fiber microfiltration (MF) membrane with the solvent, additive, second miscible polymer, and preparation condition used poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) such as a material with the excellent chemical stability and the milder preparation condition. The performance of the reinforced MF membrane prepared obtained the average $0.3{\mu}m$ pore size, $42kg_f/cm^2$ tensile strength, and the high water flux of 600 LMH. The change of membrane performance with various additives was considerably affected on the water flux and rejection. For hydrophilic modification of hydrophobic PVDF MF membrane, the MF membrane might be prepared with a prefer water flux and rejection by addition of hydrophilic poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA).

• Membrane Journal
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.63-71
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• 2009

In this study, polysulfone which has excellent mechanical and thermal stability with low cost was used for preparing a non-conducting polymer matrix as a reinforced composite membrane for fuel cell application. The membranes were prepared by phase separation method. Polymer concentration and retention time were controlled to investigate the effects on the membrane morphology. The resaltant membranes showed all sponge-like structure independent of polymer concentration. The mechanical and thermal stability were improved with increasing polymer concentration in contrast to the membrane porosity. As a result, the membranes prepared with the retention time for 2 mins using 20 wt% of polymer solution was suitable for a fuel cell compositite membrane providing optimum properties such as approximately 80% of high porosity, 1.3 MPa of tensile strength, and less than 1% of thermal shrinkage both machine and transverse direction.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 2010

In this study, high porous PVdF flat sheet membranes were prepared to obtain reinforced membrane support for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. Nano-size laponite was randomly dispersed in the membranes to improve mechanical property which lowered by the high porosity. The morphology and porosity of prepared PVdF/Laponite composite membranes were examined using the SEM analysis and the weight method and all membranes showed over 60% porosity. The membrane thermal stability depending on the laponite contents in the composite membranes was evaluated by membrane heat shrinkage at $105^{\circ}C$ and $135^{\circ}C$. MD and TD heat shrinkage of the PVdF composite membrane containing 5 wt% laponite was 2~3% and 2~3.5% at $135^{\circ}C$, respectively. The mechanical strength was enhanced after incorporating laponite particles and 30% increase in the modulus compared to pure PVdF membrane was obtained.