• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.66-73
• /
• 2016

Lyocell fibers were used as a precursor in order to improve yield and strength of cellulose-based precursor while manufacturing activated carbon fiber(ACF). Lyocell fibers as a precursor for the preparation of ACF were surface-modified by reaction with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane(APTES) and pre-treated with KOH and H3PO4. Using aforementioned precursor, ACFs were prepared by a series of stabilization, carbonization and activation process at high temperatures. On each process, FT-IR, TGA, UTM and SEM were used to observe fibers' physical properties including structure and porous surfaces. FT-IR results proved that surface modification was achieved during stabilization, carbonization and activation process. TGA results during carbonization process found that surface modified fibers with APTES 0.02 mol(A2) showed higher thermostability, and extended pre-treatment increased yield. Especially, yield was found to have an increase of 10~20 wt% with surface modification during activation process. UTM results showed that tensile strength has the same order of concentration of APTES after surface modification, however, was found to show lower tensile strength than lyocell fibers after stabilization process. SEM results revealed that more homogeneous porosity control could be proceed after modifying the surface for the effective removal of hazardous substances.

• Advances in concrete construction
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.163-171
• /
• 2021

This paper studies the effect of using multi-scale reinforcement additives on mechanical strengths, damage performance, microstructure, and water absorption of cementitious composites. Small dosages of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) or polypropylene (PP) microfibers; 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% by weight of cement; were added either separately or simultaneously into cement mortar. The experimental results show the ability of these additives to enhance the mechanical behavior of the mortar. The best improvement in compressive and flexural strengths of cement mortar reaches 28% in the case of adding a combination of 0.1% CNTs and 0.2% PP fibers for compression, and a combination of 0.2% CNTs and 0.2% PP fibers for flexure. Adding CNTs does not change the brittle mode of failure of plain mortar whereas the presence of PP fibers changes it into ductile failure and clearly enhances the fracture energy of the specimens. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images of the fracture surfaces highlights the role of CNTs in improving the adhesion between the PP fibers and the hydration products and thus enhance the ability of the fibers to mitigate cracks propagation and to enhance the mechanical performance of the mortar.

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.129-135
• /
• 2014

Spinnable pitch for melt-electrospinning was obtained from pyrolized fuel oil by electron beam (E-beam) radiation treatment. The modified pitch was characterized by measuring its elemental composition, softening point, viscosity, molecular weight, and spinnability. The softening point and viscosity properties of the modified pitch were influenced by reforming types (heat or E-beam radiation treatment) and the use of a catalyst. The softening point and molecular weight were increased in proportion to absorbed doses of E-beam radiation and added $AlCl_3$ due to the formation of pitch by free radical polymerization. The range of the molecular weight distribution of the modified pitch becomes narrow with better spinning owing to the generated aromatic compounds with similar molecular weight. The diameter of melt-electrospun pitch fibers under applied power of 20 kV decreased 53% ($4.7{\pm}0.9{\mu}m$) compared to that of melt-spun pitch fibers ($10.2{\pm}2.8{\mu}m$). It is found that E-beam treatment for reforming could be a promising method in terms of time-savings and cost-effectiveness, and the melt-electrospinning method is suitable for the preparation of thinner fibers than those obtained with the conventional melt-spinning method.

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.22
• /
• pp.96-100
• /
• 2017

• Composites Research
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.132-137
• /
• 2016

Based on mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA), a novel technique to fabricate carbon nanowire (CNW) arrays is presented for a possible use of porous carbon electrode in electrochemical energy storage applications. PDA can give more porosity and nitrogen-doping effect to carbon electrodes, since it has high graphitic carbon yield characteristic and rich amine functionalities. Using such outstanding properties, the applicability of PDA for electrochemical energy storage devices was investigated. To achieve this, the decoration of the CNW arrays on carbon fiber surface was performed to increase the surface area for storage of electrical charge and the chemical active sites. Here, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire (NW) arrays were hydrothermally grown on the carbon fiber surface and then, PDA was coated on ZnO NWs. Finally, high temperature annealing was performed to carbonize PDA coating layers. For higher energy density, manganese oxide ($MnO_x$) nanoparticles (NPs), were deposited on the carbonized PDA NW arrays. The enlarged surface area induced by carbon nanowire arrays led to a 4.7-fold enhancement in areal capacitance compared to that of bare carbon fibers. The capacitance of nanowire-decorated electrodes reached up to $105.7mF/cm^2$, which is 59 times higher than that of pristine carbon fibers.

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.3 no.3
• /
• pp.127-132
• /
• 2002

Unidirectional polymer composites were prepared using high-strength carbon fibers as reinforcement and phenolic resin as matrix precursor with keeping fiber volume fraction at 30, 40, 50 and 60% respectively. These composites were carbonized at $1000^{\circ}C$ and graphitised at $2600^{\circ}C$ in the inert atmosphere. The carbonized and graphitised composites were characterized for mechanical properties as well as microstructure. Microscopic studies were carried out of the polished surface of carbonized and graphitised composites after etching by chromic acid, to understand the effect of fiber volume fraction on oxidation at fiber-matrix interface. It is found that the flexural strength in polymer composites increases with fiber volume fraction and so does for the carbonised composites. However, the trend was found to be reversed in graphitised composites. In all the carbonized composites anisotropic region has been observed at fiber-matrix interface which transforms into columnar type microstructure upon graphitisation. The extension of strong and weak columnar type microstructure is function of fiber volume fraction. SEM microscopy of the etched surface of the sample reveal that composites containing 40% fiber volume has minimum oxidation at the interface, revealing a strong interfacial bonding.

• Composites Research
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2007

Expanded graphite/carbon fiber hybrid conductive polymer composites were fabricated by the preform molding technique. The conductive fillers were mechanically mixed with a phenol resin to provide an electrical property to composites. The conductive filler loading was fixed at 60wt.% to accomplish a high electrical conductivity. Expanded graphites were excellent in forming a conductive networking by direct contacts between them while it was hard to get the high flexural strength over 40MPa with using only expanded graphite and phenol resin. In this study, carbon fibers were added in composites to compensate the weakened flexural strength. The effect of carbon fibers on the mechanical and electrical properties was examined according to the weight ratio of carbon fiber. As the carbon fiber ratio increased, the flexural strength increased until the carbon fiber ratio of 24wt.%, and then decreased afterward. The electrical conductivity gradually decreased as the increase of the carbon fiber ratio. This was attributed to the non-conducting regions generated among the carbon fibers and the reduction of the direct contact areas between expanded graphites.

• Proceedings of the Korean Ceranic Society Conference
• /
• 2002.10a
• /
• pp.209.1-209
• /
• 2002

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.186-190
• /
• 2004

In this work, a nickel metal (Ni) electroplating on the activated carbon fiber (Ni/ACFs) surfaces was carried out to remove the toxic hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas. The surface properties of the treated ACFs were determined by using nitrogen adsorption isotherms at 77 K, SEM, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. HCl removal efficiency was confirmed by a gas-detecting tube technique. As a result, the nickel metal contents on the ACF surfaces were increased with increasing the plating time. And, it was found that the specific surface area or the micropore volume of the ACFs studied was slightly decreased as increasing the plating time. Whereas, it was revealed that the HCl removal efficiency containing nickel metal showed higher efficiency values than that of untreated ACFs. These results indicated that the presence of nickel metal on the ACF surfaces played an important role in improving the HCl removal over the Ni/ACFs, due to the catalytic reactions between nickel and chlorine.

• Carbon letters
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.67-77
• /
• 2015

Carbon fibers (CFs) have a unique combination of properties which allow them to be widely used as reinforcing materials in advanced polymer composites. The mechanical properties of CF-reinforced polymer composites are governed mainly by the quality of interfacial adhesion between the CFs and the polymer matrix. Surface treatments of CFs are generally carried out to introduce chemical functional groups on the fiber surfaces, which provide the ability to control the surface characteristics of CFs. In this study, we review recent experimental studies concerning various surface treatment methods for CFs. In addition, direct examples of the preparation and properties of CF-reinforced thermosetting composites are discussed.