• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.483-490
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• 2005

A novel, polysaccharide-based, superabsorbent hydrogel was synthesized through crosslinking graft copolymerization of methacrylic acid (MAA) onto kappa-carrageenan ($_{k}C$), using ammonium persulfate (APS) as a free radical initiator in the presence of methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker. A proposed mechanism for $_{k}C$­g-polymethacrylic acid ($_{k}C$-g-PMAA) formation was suggested and the hydrogel structure was confirmed using FTIR spectroscopy. The effect of grafting variables, including MBA, MAA, and APS concentration, was systematically optimized to achieve a hydrogel with the maximum possible swelling capacity. The swelling kinetics in distilled water and various salt solutions were preliminarily investigated. Absorbency in aqueous salt solutions of lithium chloride, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride, and aluminum chloride indicated that the swelling capacity decreased with increased ionic strength of the swelling medium. This behavior can be attributed to the charge screening effect for monovalent cations, as well as ionic crosslinking for multivalent cations. The swelling of super absorbing hydrogels was measured in solutions with pH ranging from 1 to 13. In addition, the pH reversibility and on-off switching behavior, at pH levels of 3.0 and 8.0, give the synthesized hydrogels great potential as an excellent candidate for the controlled delivery of bioactive agents.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.330-338
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• 2016

The U-Zr or U-TRU-Zr cylindrical metallic fuel slug used in fast reactors is known to swell significantly and to grow during irradiation. In neutronics simulations of metallic-fueled fast reactors, it is assumed that the slug has swollen and contacted cladding, and the bonding sodium has been removed from the fuel region. In this research, a realistic burnup-dependent fuel-swelling simulation was performed using Monte Carlo code McCARD for a single-batch compact sodium-cooled breed-and-burn reactor by considering the fuel-swelling behavior reported from the irradiation test results in EBR-II. The impacts of the realistic burnup-dependent fuel swelling are identified in terms of the reactor neutronics performance, such as core lifetime, conversion ratio, axial power distribution, and local burnup distributions. It was found that axial fuel growth significantly deteriorated the neutron economy of a breed-and-burn reactor and consequently impaired its neutronics performance. The bonding sodium also impaired neutron economy, because it stayed longer in the blanket region until the fuel slug reached 2% burnup.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2005

In this study, a series of highly swelling hydrogels based on sodium alginate (NaAlg) and polymethacryl­amide (PMAM) was prepared through free radical polymerization. The graft copolymerization reaction was performed in a homogeneous medium and in the presence of ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator and N,N'-methylenebis­acrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker. The crosslinked graft copolymer, alginate-graft-polymethacrylamide (Alg-g­PMAM), was then partially hydrolyzed by NaOH solution to yield a hydrogel, hydrolyzed alginate-graft-poly­methacrylamide (H-Alg-g-PMAM). During alkaline hydrolysis, the carboxamide groups of Alg-g-PMAM were converted into hydrophilic carboxylate anions. Either the Alg-g-PMAM or the H-Alg-g-PMAM was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. The effects of the grafting variables (i.e., concentration of MBA, MAM, and APS) and the alkaline hydrolysis conditions (i.e., NaOH concentration, hydrolysis time, and temperature) were optimized systematically to achieve a hydrogel having the maximum swelling capacity. Measurements of the absorbency in various aqueous salt solutions indicated that the swelling capacity decreased upon increasing the ionic strength of the swelling medium. This behavior could be attributed to a charge screening effect for monovalent cations, as well as ionic cross-linking for multivalent cations. Because of the high swelling capacity in salt solutions, however, the hydrogels might be considered as anti-salt superabsorbents. The swelling behavior of the superabsorbing hydrogels was also measured in solutions having values of pH ranging from 1 to 13. Furthermore, the pH reversibility and on/off switching behavior, measured at pH 2.0 and 8.0, suggested that the synthesized hydrogels were excellent candidates for the controlled delivery of bioactive agents. Finally, we performed preliminary investigations of the swelling kinetics of the synthesized hydrogels at various particle sizes.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.5 no.6
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• pp.565-574
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• 2013

Extensive study was carried out on Clay expansive soil. This soil was silty clay and can be classified as CH. The degree of expansion was found to range from low to medium depending on the free swell and swell pressure tests. The research investigated the effect of using cement dust on swelling potential, Atterberg Limit, linear shrinkage, and mineralogical composition of expansive soil. The results showed that the swelling potential, plasticity index, linear shrinkage, and clay minerals decrease with increasing cement dust percentage. The cement dust accumulates in huge amounts as a side product in cement factories, and the disposal of this fine dust is very difficult and poses an environmental threat.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.2680-2686
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• 2009

The synthesis of a novel superabsorbent hydrogel with natural hybrid backbone via graft copolymerization of acrylamide (AAm) onto kappa-carrageenan (kC, as a polysaccharide) and gelatin (as a protein) under classic thermal conditions is described. The Taguchi method as a strong experimental design tool was used for synthesis optimization. A series of hydrogels were synthesized by proposed conditions of Qualitek-4 Software. Considering the results of 9 trials according to analysis of variance (ANOVA), optimum conditions were proposed. The swelling behavior of optimum hydrogel was measured in various solutions with pH values ranging from 1 to 13. In addition, swelling kinetics, swelling in various organic solvents, various salt solutions and On–Off switching behavior were investigated. The hydrogel formation was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetrical analysis (TGA). Surface morphology of the synthesized hydrogels was assessed by scanning electron microscope (SEM).

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2001

This study was to investigate the relationship between the gel layer thickness and swelling boundary via strength measurements using texture analysis. The novel texture analysis approach was used to examine the dynamics of swelling behavior in a ternary polymeric matrix tablet. The method permitted the characterization of the changes occurring at the peripheral as well as within interior boundary of the swelling during water ingress. The increase in gel strength for pectin, HPMC, and a ternary mixture with gelatin was found to depend on polymer concentration. Therefore, this method is further applicable to characterize the swelling behavior and provide opportunity to differentiate the gel-layer from that of swelling boundary.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.26-30
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• 2009

To modify and strengthen the properties of PHEMA hydrogel, composite hydrogels containing varying amounts of a Pluronic (PEO-PPO-PEO) component were synthesized by bulk polymerization of HEMA in the presence of Pluronic dimethacrylate under mild photo initiating conditions. The effects of the Pluronic component on gel properties were investigated by measuring the degree of swelling with its temperature responsive behavior, the mechanical properties, and the morphology of the composite hydrogels. With increased Pluronic content, the modified PHEMA hydrogels exhibited an increase in the degree of swelling, and the swelling showed an enhanced thermo-responsive behavior that was completely reversible. In addition, improved mechanical strength and the development of a microporous gel morphology were observed in hydrogels containing Pluronic.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.383-391
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• 2015

Transparent type noise barrier is a desirable facility since it provides a secure view to drivers and passengers. However, reflection from this type of barrier could annoy dwellers on the sides of the road. To reduce reflection noise by transparent type barrier, modification can be made to the shapes on the front side and hence get effects by distortion of sound transmission. To achieve this, we have conducted simulation by which the effects of patterned screens of noise barrier on high-ways were investigated. The reduction effects of reflected sounds were evaluated for swelling, swelling with curved, rectangular and V-shaped screen type barriers, compared to the planar panel. The emitting noise was generated by 6-lane road and the patterned noise barriers had shown the reduction effects, especially in swelling and swelling with curved type for middle height dwellers, and the V-shaped screen type for higher elevation dweller. The swelling-type showed a decrease of 0.7~1.2 dB, performing the best diminution effect among the tested noise barriers.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.132-139
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• 2006

The dispersion of organoclay in ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) matrix was correlated with the rheological and swelling properties of nanocomposites. X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) analysis exhibited the disordered-intercalated structure of EPDM/organoclay nanocomposite. The extent of the disordered phase increased with increasing organoclay content up to a limiting value of 3 wt% after which equilibrium tended towards intercalation. The dispersion effect of organoclay in EPDM matrix was clarified by the physicochemical properties like rheological response and swelling thermodynamics in toluene. The increase in viscoelastic properties of EPDM nanocomposite with increasing organoclay content up to 3 wt%, followed by a subsequent decrease up to 4 wt%, was correlated in terms of the disordered and ordered states of the dispersed nano-clay sheets. Swelling measurements revealed that the change in entropy of the swelling increased with the increase in disorder level but decreased with the increase in intercalation level of organoclay in the disordered-intercalated nanocomposite. The increase in solvent uptake was comparable with the free volume in EPDM matrix upon inclusion of silicate particles, whereas the inhibition in solvent uptake for higher organoclay loading was described by bridging flocculation.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.162-169
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• 1983

The swelling and stress-elongation experiments have been performed for two kinds of gels of tactic poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (P-HEMA) with varying crosslinker concentrations. The gels of isotactic and syndiotactic P-HEMA were swollen in aqueous salt solutions upon varying molal concentrations. The solute used were NaCl, $MgCl_2$, $Na_2SO_4$, $MgSO_4$ and urea. The water content at equilibrium swelling and the salt partition coefficient were determined, and stress-elongation curves of the gels were obtained. From these results, the effective number of chain (${\nu}_e$) and the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter (${\chi}_1$) were also obtained. The swelling experiment was also performed under varying solvents, and the degree of swelling was determined. The solubility parameter of P-HEMA was obtained as 13.4 (cal/mole)$^{l/2}$ using the correlation between the degree of swelling and the solubility parameter (${\delta}_1$) of solvents. The mechanical properties of syndiotactic P-HEMA is stronger than that of isotactic P-HEMA, and the water content of both gels become smaller when the crosslinking increases. Isotactic P-HEMA contains more water content than syndiotactic P-HEMA does.