• Membrane Journal
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.325-343
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• 2023

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) have been attracting attention as energy conversion devices that can directly supply methanol liquid fuel without a fuel reforming process. The commercial polymer electrolyte membranes (PEMs) currently applied to DMFC are perfluorosulfonic acid ionomer-based PEMs, which exhibit high proton conductivity and physicochemical stability during the operation. However, problems such as high methanol permeability and environmental pollutants generated during decomposition require the development of PEMs for DMFCs using novel ionomers. Recently, studies have been reported to develop PEMs using hydrocarbon-based ionomers that exhibit low fuel permeability and high physicochemical stability. This review introduces the following studies on hydrocarbon-based PEMs for DMFC applications: 1) synthesis of grafting copolymers that exhibit distinct hydrophilic/hydrophobic phase-separated structure to improve both proton conductivity and methanol selectivity, 2) introduction of cross-linked structure during PEM fabrication to reduce the methanol permeability and improve dimensional stability, and 3) incorporation of organic/inorganic composites or reinforcing substrates to develop reinforced composite membranes showing improved PEM performances and durability.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.522-528
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• 2023

In this work, adhesive tapes were prepared for the dicing process in semiconductor manufacturing. Compounds with different numbers of photoreactive groups (f = 1 to 3) were synthesized and incorporated into acrylic copolymers to formulate UV-curable acrylic adhesives. Structural confirmation of the synthesized photoreactive compounds (f = 2 or 3) was performed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The introduction of the photoreactive compounds into the acrylic adhesive was accomplished by urethane reactions, and the successful synthesis of the UV-curable acrylic adhesive was verified by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) measurements. To evaluate the performance of the adhesive, the peel strength was evaluated before and after UV irradiation using a silicon wafer as a substrate. The adhesive exhibited high peel strength (~2000 gf/25 mm) before UV exposure, which was significantly reduced (~5 gf/25 mm) after UV exposure. Interestingly, the adhesive containing multifunctional photoreactive compounds showed the most significant reduction in peel strength. In addition, surface residue measurements by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) showed minimal surface residue (~0.2%) after UV exposure. Overall, these results contribute to the understanding of the behavior of UV-curable acrylic adhesives and pave the way for potential applications in semiconductor manufacturing processes.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.14-20
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• 1986

These experiments were carried out to determine the ultraviolet absorption spectra of AcBr lignins(acetyl bromide lignin) from 10 hardwood species grown in Mt. Jiri. 1. There were 3 peak positions, at 249nm(max. peak), at 262-266nm(shallow min. peak) and at 270-280nm(lower max. peak). The Bj$\ddot{o}$rkman lignin and lignin sulfonatic acid spectra had shoulders, but the AcBr lignin didn't. 2. Average absorbances of the AcBr lignin at peak positions were 0.457${\pm}$0.0077 at 249nm, 0.297${\pm}$0.0029 at 262-266nm and 0.309${\pm}$0.0067 at 270-280nm. 3. Average absorptivities of the AcBr lignin at peak positions were 25.005${\pm}$0.3825 at 249nm, 16.264${\pm}$0.2347 at 262-266nm and 16.863${\pm}$0.3444 at 270-280nm. 4. AcBr lignin absorptivities in each species were as follows: 16.939${\pm}$0.3735 in Acer pseudo-sieboldianum var. koreanum, 17.411${\pm}$0.2937 in Carpinus laxiflora, 16.579${\pm}$0.4348 in Comus controversa, 16.385${\pm}$0.4140 in Fraxinus rhynchophylla, 16.287${\pm}$0.4156 in Meliosma myriantha, 16.492${\pm}$0.1432 in Platycarya strobilacea, 16.343${\pm}$0.3177 in Prunus sargentii, 17.549${\pm}$0.3253 in Sophora japanica, 18.400${\pm}$0.2925 in Stewartia koreana, 16.245${\pm}$0.4339 in Styrax obassia. 5. As the spectra of AcBr lignin from hardwood showed the unpromounced peak from 270nm to 280nm, it was supposed that thes hardwood lignins were the guaiacyl-syringyl copolymers.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.560-567
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• 1997

A new approach to obtain stable $W_1/O/W_2$ multiple emulsions has been studied ; The basis of the interfacial interaction between a PCL-PEO-PCL triblock copolymer and a lipophilic emulsifier in the dispersed oil phase was examined. $W_1/O/W_2$ multiple emulsions were prepared by the two-step method. Arlacel P-l35 was used as a liphophilic emulsifier and Synperonic PE/F 127 as a hydrophilic one. Eutanol-G was used as an oil phase. NaCl was encapsulated within the multiple emulsion droplets as the internal marker and its release rate studies were carried out. The suability of the multiple emulsions have been assessed by measuring Separation Ratios(%) and microscopic observations. The release of NaCl was significantly reduced in $W_1/O/W_2$ multiple emulsions containing PCL-PEO-PCL triblock copolymer(2k-4k-2k or 6k-4k-6k) in the oil phase. It may be concluded that the copolymer and the emulsifier form effective interfacial complex to enhance stability and to control the release rate. The effective diffusion coefficients of the NaCl were estimated as $2.64{\times}10^{-15}s$and $3.23{\times}10^{-16}gcm^2/s$ for the $W_1/O/W_2$ multiple emulsion containing 1.2 wt % of PCL-PEO-PCL triblock copolymers with compositions of 2k-4k-2k and 6k-4k-2k, respectively. The rate of release decreased with the increase of the initial concentration of NaCl. The results were examined in view of Higuchi mechanism. A kinetic model which is similar to the model for release of dispersed drugs from a polymeric matrix was found to be suitable for the release of NaCl from $W_1/O/W_2$ multiple emulsions.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.461-467
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• 2018

In this study, $(n-BuCp)_2ZrCl_2$, was supported on $SiO_2/MgCl_2$ binary support. Before supporting the catalyst, the $SiO_2/MgCl_2$ binary support was surface treated with three different alkyl aluminum compound, namely trimethylaluminum, triethylaluminum, and ethylaluminum sesquichloride. The synthesized surface-treated $SiO_2/MgCl_2$ supported metallocene catalysts were used for the copolymerization of ethylene and 1-hexene. Their catalytic properties and performances were analyzed through BET, XPS analysis, ICP-AES analysis, and FE-SEM. While the resulting copolymers were analyzed through DSC analysis, GPC analysis, 13C-NMR analysis, and FE-SEM. The analysis of synthesized surface-treated $SiO_2/MgCl_2$ supported metallocene catalysts showed that the Zr content of these catalysts is relatively lower compared to that of the catalyst supported on $SiO_2$. This could be attributed to the reduction in the surface area of $SiO_2$ due to the presence of recrystallized $MgCl_2$ and alkyl aluminum. Furthermore, they exhibited a better copolymerization activity compared to that of $SiO_2$ supported catalyst, particularly the EASC-surface treated binary support, which has the highest activity of 1.9 kg PE/($mmol-Zr^*hr$) because EASC acts as a strong Lewis acid. It could also be observed that the larger the ligand of alkyl aluminum used, the rougher the particle surface of the resulting polymer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2011.04a
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• pp.1-2
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• 2011

Hybrid rockets have lately attracted attention as a strong candidate of small, low cost, safe and reliable launch vehicles. A significant topic is that the first commercially sponsored space ship, SpaceShipOne vehicle chose a hybrid rocket. The main factors for the choice were safety of operation, system cost, quick turnaround, and thrust termination. In Japan, five universities including Hokkaido University and three private companies organized "Hybrid Rocket Research Group" from 1998 to 2002. Their main purpose was to downsize the cost and scale of rocket experiments. In 2002, UNISEC (University Space Engineering Consortium) and HASTIC (Hokkaido Aerospace Science and Technology Incubation Center) took over the educational and R&D rocket activities respectively and the research group dissolved. In 2008, JAXA/ISAS and eleven universities formed "Hybrid Rocket Research Working Group" as a subcommittee of the Steering Committee for Space Engineering in ISAS. Their goal is to demonstrate technical feasibility of lowcost and high frequency launches of nano/micro satellites into sun-synchronous orbits. Hybrid rockets use a combination of solid and liquid propellants. Usually the fuel is in a solid phase. A serious problem of hybrid rockets is the low regression rate of the solid fuel. In single port hybrids the low regression rate below 1 mm/s causes large L/D exceeding a hundred and small fuel loading ratio falling below 0.3. Multi-port hybrids are a typical solution to solve this problem. However, this solution is not the mainstream in Japan. Another approach is to use high regression rate fuels. For example, a fuel regression rate of 4 mm/s decreases L/D to around 10 and increases the loading ratio to around 0.75. Liquefying fuels such as paraffins are strong candidates for high regression fuels and subject of active research in Japan too. Nakagawa et al. in Tokai University employed EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) to modify viscosity of paraffin based fuels and investigated the effect of viscosity on regression rates. Wada et al. in Akita University employed LTP (Low melting ThermoPlastic) as another candidate of liquefying fuels and demonstrated high regression rates comparable to paraffin fuels. Hori et al. in JAXA/ISAS employed glycidylazide-poly(ethylene glycol) (GAP-PEG) copolymers as high regression rate fuels and modified the combustion characteristics by changing the PEG mixing ratio. Regression rate improvement by changing internal ballistics is another stream of research. The author proposed a new fuel configuration named "CAMUI" in 1998. CAMUI comes from an abbreviation of "cascaded multistage impinging-jet" meaning the distinctive flow field. A CAMUI type fuel grain consists of several cylindrical fuel blocks with two ports in axial direction. The port alignment shifts 90 degrees with each other to make jets out of ports impinge on the upstream end face of the downstream fuel block, resulting in intense heat transfer to the fuel. Yuasa et al. in Tokyo Metropolitan University employed swirling injection method and improved regression rates more than three times higher. However, regression rate distribution along the axis is not uniform due to the decay of the swirl strength. Aso et al. in Kyushu University employed multi-swirl injection to solve this problem. Combinations of swirling injection and paraffin based fuel have been tried and some results show very high regression rates exceeding ten times of conventional one. High fuel regression rates by new fuel, new internal ballistics, or combination of them require faster fuel-oxidizer mixing to maintain combustion efficiency. Nakagawa et al. succeeded to improve combustion efficiency of a paraffin-based fuel from 77% to 96% by a baffle plate. Another effective approach some researchers are trying is to use an aft-chamber to increase residence time. Better understanding of the new flow fields is necessary to reveal basic mechanisms of regression enhancement. Yuasa et al. visualized the combustion field in a swirling injection type motor. Nakagawa et al. observed boundary layer combustion of wax-based fuels. To understand detailed flow structures in swirling flow type hybrids, Sawada et al. (Tohoku Univ.), Teramoto et al. (Univ. of Tokyo), Shimada et al. (ISAS), and Tsuboi et al. (Kyushu Inst. Tech.) are trying to simulate the flow field numerically. Main challenges are turbulent reaction, stiffness due to low Mach number flow, fuel regression model, and other non-steady phenomena. Oshima et al. in Hokkaido University simulated CAMUI type flow fields and discussed correspondence relation between regression distribution of a burning surface and the vortex structure over the surface.