• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.5-10
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• 2009

The Nylon/clay nanocomposite were prepared with Cloisite25A and Cloisite30B. And mechanical properties and thermal properties of Nylon/clay nanocomposites on the amount of MMT have been investigated. From the results of XRD and TEM, we found that mono layered silicates were dispersed in polymer matrix and those resultants were exfoliated nanocomposites. When Cloisite30B was used as an intercalant in the Nylon/Clay nanocomposites, the mechanical and thermal properties of Nylon were higher than those with Cloisite25A.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.119-127
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• 2007

Recently, microstructures fabricated using microstereolithography technology have been used in the biological, medical and mechanical fields. Microstereolithography can fabricate real 3D microstructures with fine features, although there is presently a limited number of materials available for use in the process. Deformation of the fine features on a fabricated microstructure remains a critical issue for successful part fabrication, and part deformation can occur during rinsing or during fabrication as a result of fluid flow forces that occur during movement of mechanical parts of the system. Deformation can result in failure to fabricate a particular feature by breaking the feature completely, spatial deflection of the feature, or attaching the feature to neighboring microstructures. To improve mechanical strength of fabricated microstructures, a clay nanocomposite can be used. In particular, a high-aspect ratio microstructure can be fabricated without distortion using photocurable liquid resin containing a clay nanocomposite. In this paper, a clay nanocomposite was blended with a photocurable liquid resin to solve the deformation problem that occurs during fabrication and rinsing. An optimal mixture ratio of a clay nanocomposite was found through tensile testing and the minimal allowable distance between microstructures was found through fabrication experimentation. Finally, using these results, high-aspect ratio microstructures were fabricated using a clay nanocomposite resin without distortion.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.20 no.4 s.64
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• pp.72-76
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• 2006

Polymer/clay nanocomposites have generated considerable interests in the past decade because adding just tiny amount of clay to the polymer matrix could produce a dramatic enhancement in physical, thermal and mechanical properties. Smectite clays, such as montmorillonite (MMT), are of great industrial value because of their high aspect ratio, plate morphology, intercalative capacity, natural abundance and low cost. In this study, PE/MMT nanocomposites were directly prepared by melt intercalating PE and the modified clay. The nanostructure was verified by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and their flame retardant properties were measured and discussed by limiting oxygen index (LOI), char yield and smoke mass concentration. And their thermal stabilities were measured by differential thermogravimetric (DTG) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The PE/MMT nanocomposites proved more effective the conventional composites in reinforcement. Two functions in the thermal stability of the PE/MMT nanocomposite, one is the barrier effect to improve the thermal stability, and another is catalysis, leading to a decrease of the thermal stability. The flammability was greatly decreased due to the formation of the clay-enriched protective char during the combustion.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.429-434
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of application of microwave energy for the fabrication of polymer/clay nanocomposite. APES/Clay nanocomposites were prepared at 13$0^{\circ}C$ for 30min with various content of clay by melt-intercalation method under classical and microwave heating source. APES/Clay samples were characterized by the means of X-ray diffractometry(XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis(TGA), and rheometric dynamic analysis(RDA). It was found that intercalated or exfoliated state was obtained in the samples according to the condition of organic modification, clay content, and heating source.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.11-15
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• 2003

In order to suppress a repulsive interfacial energy between hydrophilic clay and hydrophobic polymer matrix in preparing a polymer/clay nanocomposite, a third component of amphiphilic nature such as poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (PCL) was introduced into the model system of styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers (SAN)/Na-montmorillonite. Once $\varepsilon$-caprolactone was polymerized in the presence of Na-rnontmorillonite, the successful ring-opening polymerization of $\varepsilon$-caprolactone and the well-developed exfoliated structure of PCL/Na-montmorillonite mixture were confirmed, Thereafter, SAN was melt-mixed with PCL/Na-montmorillonite nanocomposite, which resulted in that SAN matrix and PCL fraction were completely miscible to form homogeneous mixture with retention of the exfoliated state of Na-montmorillonite, exhibiting that PCL effectively stabilizes the repulsive polymer/clay interface and contributes the improvement of mechanical properties of the nanocomposites.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.421-426
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• 2001

11-Aminododecanoic acid, to insert the functional group of -COOH reacted with the end group of poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) diol, and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTMA), to increase the d-spacing of Montmorillonite (MMT), were intercalated into $Na^+;_-$MMT. The modified MMT was reacted with poly(${varepsilon}-caprolactone$) diol ($M_n{=2000$) in THF solution at $80^{\circ}C$ for 4 hrs. After reaction, poly(${varepsilon}-caprolactone$) ($M_n{=80000$) was mixed into the solution for 12 hrs. To prepare the PCL/clay nanocomposite film this solution was cast into the silicon mold at $60^{\circ}C$ in vacuum oven for 6 hrs. From the results of XRD and TEM, it was found that the exfoliated PCL/clay nanocomposite were prepared. The effects of the amount of MMT on the mechanical properties and thermal properties of PCL/clay nanocomposites have been investigated by tensile tester and DSC. Because the MMT was dispersed homogeneously in PCL matrix, the Young's modulus of the nanocomposite were found to be excellent. However, MMT dispersed in PCL matrix had almost no effect on the tensile strength of the composites. The crystallization temperature of PCL increased in proportion to 3 wt% MMT in the PCL matrix.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.75-83
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• 2003

Dicyanate-clay nanocomposite has been prepared by a melt in-situ polymerization method for different modifiers and cation exchange capacity (CEC) values in order to study dispersion and mechanical property. Various dicyanate nanocomposites were prepared by using different MMT systems containing different intercalants which led to different initial gallery heights and packing density. Depending on compatibility between dicyanate and clays, the degree of dispersion varied. Dispersion of clay plates in dicyanate resin depended mainly on CEC and aliphatic chain length of modifier. The lower CEC and shorter aliphatic chain length of modifier gave the exfoliation structure. It was also found that the reactivity of intercalant with dicyanate resin was one of the key factors facilitating the intercalation/exfoliation process of dicyanate/MMT nanocomposites. Shear modulus of reaction-induced dicyanate nanocomposite was significantly increased.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Rheology Conference
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.157-160
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• 2006

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.229-234
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• 2006

Poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc)/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/montmorillonite (MMT) clay nanocomposite microspheres with a core/shell structure have been developed via a suspension polymerization approach. In order to prepare the PVAc/ MMT and PVAc/PVA/MMT nanocomposite microspheres, which are promising precursor of PVA/MMT nanocomposite microspheres, suspension polymerization of vinyl acetate with organophilic MMT and heterogeneous saponification were conducted. A quaternary ammonium salt, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, was mixed with the MMT in the monomer phase prior to the suspension polymerization. The rate of conversion decreased with an increase in MMT concentration. The incorporation of MMT into the PVAc was verified by FT-IR spectroscopy. Organic vinyl acetate monomers were intercalated into the interlayer regions of organophilic clay hosts and followed by suspension polymerization. Partially saponified PVA/MMT nanocomposite microspheres with a core/shell structure were successfully prepared by heterogeneous saponification.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.235-243
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• 2008

The aim of this study is to explore the possibility of incorporating supercritical carbon dioxide ($scCO_2$) into twin screw extrusion process for the production of polypropylene-clay nanocomposite (PPCN). The $CO_2$ is used as a reversible plasticizer which is expected to rapidly transport polymeric chains into the galleries of clay layers in its supercritical condition inside the extruder barrel and to expand the gallery spacings in its sub-critical state upon emerging from die. The structure and properties of the resulting PPCNs are characterized using wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), rheometry, thermogravimetry and mechanical testing. In the processing of the PPCNs with $scCO_2$, optimum $scCO_2$ concentration and screw speed which maximized the degree of intercalation of clay layers were observed. The WAXD result reveals that the PP/PP-g-MA/clay system treated with $scCO_2$ has more exfoliated structure than that without $scCO_2$ treatment, which is supported by TEM result. $scCO_2$ processing enhanced the thermal stability of PPCN hybrids. From the measurement of linear viscoelastic property, a solid-like behavior at low frequency was observed for the PPCNs with high concentration of PP-g-MA. The use of $scCO_2$ generally increased Young's modulus and tensile strength of PPCN hybrids.