• Macromolecular Research
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.120-124
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• 2000

Clay-dispersed nanocomposites have been prepared by simple melt-mixing of two components, styrenic polymers with different content of functional groups and two different organophilic clays (Cloisite(R) 25A and Cloisite(R)30A) with a twin screw extruder. Dispersibility of 10-$\AA$-thick silicate layers of clay in the hybrid was investigated by using an X-ray diffraction method and a transmission electron microscope. It was found that if the interaction force between intercalant and matrix polymer is attractive, the matrix polymer intercalates more rapidly into the gallery of silicate layers. The faster intercalation of matrix polymer leads to the better dispersibility of silicate layers in the matrix polymer.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.133-139
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• 2007

Low density polyethylene nanocomposites were prepared by melt intercalating maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene and montmorillonite clay. It has been found that maleic anhydride has promoted strong interactions between polyethylene and montmorillonite, leading to the homogeneous dispersion of clay layers. Rheological experiments revealed that prepared nanocomposites exhibited shear thinning behaviour. Polyethylene nanocomposites exhibited an increase in steady shear viscosities compared to virgin polyethylene owing to strong polymer clay interactions. The tensile strength of nanocomposites was improved but elongation at break decreased considerably. Also, barrier properties improved significantly with montmorillonite content.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.111-119
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• 2022

In this research, bentonite was intercalated with CMC and then two different percentages of glutaraldehyde (5 & 10%) were added as a crosslink agent to achieve non water-soluble composites. Then the composites were coated on clay-based microfiltration membranes which were synthesized in the previous work of the authors. The XRD technique was used to track the intercalation mechanism and FTIR was used to study the crosslink procedure. SEM was used to study the microstructure and morphology of the coated samples and then the ability of non-coated and coated samples for removal of Cr³⁺ ions was studied and compared. It was seen that the samples coated with the synthesized composite including 10% of glutaraldehyde showed the best results and removed 99.7% of Cr³⁺ ions from water polluted with 5 ppm of Cr³⁺ ions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.87-87
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• 2010

Epoxy/mica has been used as the material of high-voltage rotator stator winding due to its high insulation performance, mechanical strength, and thermal stability. In recent years, however, it shows frequent changes in the load of generators and frequent automatic stops due to the significant increase in peak loads from the increase in the applied load of power facilities according to the introduction of advanced and high-technology equipments. Thus, it is necessary to develop new materials that highly develop the conventional insulation materials. Nanotechnology introduced in the present time has become an alternative plan that overcomes such technical limitations. In addition, the nano-scaled intercalation composite has been known as the material that represent excellent electrical, mechanical, and thermal characteristics compared to the conventional materials. This study investigated the dielectric dispersion and relaxation characteristics of the nanocomposite, which was fabricated by mixing epoxy matrix with nano-scaled intercalation mica and clay, according to changes in frequencies and temperatures.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2010

Polypropylene / montmorillonite / wood flour nanocomposites are melt-mixed by using a twin screw extruder. The montmorillonite is intercalated by the wood flour and the basal spacing of montmorillonite is increased with increasing the content of wood flour. The exfoliation constantly occurs by adding more than 10 wt.% of maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene as the compatibilizer, which is used for improving the interfacial adhesion between matrix and filler. Also, the maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene enhances the mechanical properties of the nanocomposites.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.374-381
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• 2000

Composites of polypropylene (PP) and organically modified montmorillonite (org-MMT) were prepared by melt mixing in an intensive mixer. Three grades of PP's having different melt viscosities were employed to investigate the dispersion characteristics of the composites with various org-MMT's. Depending on the matrix viscosity and nature of the interlayer in org-MMT significant variations of the phase structure were found. Under the constant mixing condition and matrix viscosity, intercalation of PP chains into the interlayer of org-MMT was possible when initial interlayer distance and packing density were maintained in the optimum range; by which the loss in entropy associated with the confinement of polymer chains was compensated. The state of org-MMT particle dispersion was improved by increasing the matrix viscosity only in the case that dispersed phase is suitable for intercalation process thermodynamically, otherwise little variation was occurred regardless of the matrix viscosity. Due to the lack of specific interaction between PP and erg-MMT considered here, although the intercalation was possible for an appropriate org-MMT, the composites revealed unstable phase structure upon increasing the mixing time, which was characterized by agglomeration of the org-MMT domains.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.799-806
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• 2017

The potential use of modified clays in the adsorption of vapor phase benzene and toluene was investigated. The modified clays OC-CPC, IOC, and Al-PILC were prepared for comparative purposes and were characterized using infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction. It was confirmed the intercalation of the aluminium pillar in IOC and Al-PILC, as well as the introduction of cetylpyridinium. The adsorption studies showed a great affinity of benzene and toluene for OC-CPC due to the hydrophobic character that resulted and also to the increase in the interlaminar distance. IOC showed a lower affinity for the benzene and toluene, followed by Al-PILC. Natual clay had no affinity for benzene and toluene due to its hydrophilic nature. Clay materials having a laminar structure can be chemically modified, changing their physiochemical characteristics, such as interlaminar distance, surface area, pore size, and chemical affinity. In this study, it was focused on obtaining modified clays to be used for the adsorption of volatile organic chemicals.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.545-549
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• 2006

Blends of poly(acrylic acid- co-maleic acid) (PAM) with poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were pre -pared in distilled water PVA/PAM/saponite (PVA/PAM/SPT) nanocomposite films were prepared with various clay contents by using the solution intercalation method. The variations of the dispersion, morphology, and thermo-mechanical properties of the nanocomposites with clay content in the range 0 to 9 wt% were examined. Up to 3 wt% clay loading, the clay particles were homogeneously dispersed in the PVA/PAM blends. However, some agglomerated structures form in the polymer matrix above a clay content of 7 wt%. The thermal stability of the hybrids was increased linearly with increasing the clay loading up to 9 wt%. The maximum strength and modulus were obtained at a clay content of 7 wt%. Thus, the addition of small amounts of clay to the PVA/PAM blends produced PVA/PAM nano-composites with improved the thermo-mechanical properties.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.6-14
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• 2008

Polypropylene (PP)-layered silicate nanocomposites were developed using a new processing method involving a supercritical carbon dioxide ($scCO_2$)-assisted co-rotating twin-screw extrusion process. The nanocomposites were prepared through two step extrusion processes. In the first step, the PP/clay mixture was extruded with $CO_2$ injected into the barrel of the extruder and the resulting foamed extrudate was cooled and pelletized. In the second step, the foamed extrudate was extruded with venting to produce the final PP/clay nanocomposites without $CO_2$. In this study, organophilic-clay and polypropylene matrix were used. Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA) was used as a compatibilizer. This study focused on the effect of $scCO_2$ on the dispersion characteristics of the clays into a PP matrix and the rheological properties of the layered silicate based PP nanocomposites. The dispersion properties of clays in the nanocomposites as well as the rheological properties of the nanocomposites were examined as a function of the PP-g-MA concentration. The degree of dispersion of the clays in the nanocomposites was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope. Various rheological properties of the nanocomposites were measured using a rotational rheometer. In the experimental results, the $scCO_2$ assisted continuous manufacturing extrusion system was used to successfully produce the organophilic-clay filled PP nanocomposites. It was found that $scCO_2$ had a measurable effect on the clay dispersion in the polymer matrix and the melt intercalation of a polymer into clay layers.

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.103-108
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• 2002

The viscosity effect of matrix polymer on melt exfoliation behavior of an organoclay in poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (PCL) was investigated. The viscosity of matrix polymer was controlled by changing the molecular weight of poly($\varepsilon$-eaprolactone), the processing temperature, and the rotor speed of a mini-molder. Applied shear stress facilitates the diffusion of polymer chains into the gallery of silicate layers by breaking silicate agglomerates down into smaller primary particles. When the viscosity of PCL is lower, silicate agglomerates are not perfectly broken into smaller primary particles. At higher viscosity, all of silicate agglomerates are broken down into primary particles, and finally into smaller nano-scale building blocks. It was also found that the degree of exfoliation of silicate layers is dependent upon not only the viscosity of matrix but thermodynamic variables.