• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.290-299
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• 2006

This article investigated to polymer-clay nanocomposite, especially in interfacial respect clay structure, its dispersion into polymer matrix, and clay modification is studied. The cationic exchange of surfactants with clay gallery results in preparing organo-clay capable of compatiblizing to monomer or polymer and increasing interlayer adhesion energy due to expansion of interlayer spacing. The orientation of surfactant in clay gallery is affected by chemical structure and charge density of clay, and interlayer spacing and volume is increased with alkyl chain length of surfactant, or charge density of clay. Also, the interaction between clay and polymer in preparing polymer-clay nanocomposite is explained thermodynamically. In the future, the study and development of polymer-clay nanocomposite is paid attention to the interfacial adhesion, clay dispersion within polymer, mechanism of clay intercalation or exfoliation.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.797-806
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• 2009

The mechanical and thermal behaviors of polyamide-6/clay nanocomposites were studied using the continuum-based, micromechanical models such as Mori-Tanaka, Halpin-Tsai and shear lag. Mechanic-based model prediction provides a better understanding regarding the dependence of the nanocomposites' reinforcement efficiency on conventional filler structural parameters such as filler aspect ratio ($\alpha$), filler orientation (S), filler weight fraction (${\Psi}_f$), and filler/matrix stiffness ratio ($E_f/E_m$). For an intercalated and exfoliated nanocomposite, an effective, filler-based, micromechanical model that includes effective filler structural parameters, the number of platelets per stack (n) and the silicate inter-layer spacing ($d_{001}$), is proposed to describe the mesoscopic intercalated filler and the nanoscopic exfoliated filler. The proposed model nicely captures the experimental modulus behaviors for both intercalated and exfoliated nanocomposites. In addition, the model prediction of the heat distortion temperature is examined for nanocomposites with different filler aspect ratio. The predicted heat distortion temperature appears to be reasonable compared to the heat distortion temperature obtained by experimental tests. Based on both the experimental results and model prediction, the reinforcement efficiency and heat resistance of the polyamide-6/clay nanocomposites definitely depend on both conventional (${\alpha},\;S,\;{\Psi}_f,\;E_f/E_m$) and effective (n, $d_{001}$) filler structural parameters.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.177-187
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• 2021

The effect of nanoparticle volume fraction on the elastic properties of a polymer-based nanocomposite was experimentally investigated and the obtained results were compared with various existing theoretical models. The nanocomposite was consisted of high density polyethylene (HDPE) as polymeric matrix and 0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5 wt.% multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) prepared using twin screw extruder and injection molding technique. Nanocomposite samples were molded in injection apparatus according to ASTM-D638 standard. Therefore, in addition to morphological investigations of the samples, tensile tests at ambient temperature were performed on each sample and stress-strain plots, elastic moduli, Poisson's ratios, and strain energies of volume units were extracted from primary strain test results. Tensile test results demonstrated that 1 wt.% nanoparticles presented the best reinforcement behavior in HDPE-MWCNT nanocomposites. Due to the agglomeration of nanoparticles at above 1 wt.%, Young's modulus, yielding stress, fracture stress, and fracture energy were decreased and Poisson's ratio and failure strain were increased.

• 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.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.945-948
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• 2008

Nanocomposite materials provides efficient reinforcement, thermal endurance, and many other advantages depending on the additives used, with applications in the aerospace, automotive, and biomedical industries. Here, epoxy based nanocomposites were synthesized in the presence of Cloisite 15A and characterized with TEM, XRD, TGA, and DMA. To determine the effect of the clay d-spacing, Cloisite 20A was also used to synthesize the nanocompostes. In addition to the traditional hot plate method, an ultrasonicator was used to investigate the effect of different types of mixing on the properties of the nanocomposite; no significant effect was found. An examination of the nanocomposite morphology revealed that all the nanocomposites synthesized yielded an intercalated structure. When 5 wt% of Cloisite 15A was used with 20 min sonication time, the storage modulus increased 10% over the neat(no clay) nanocomposite. In general, the presence of Cloisite 15A produced a better storage modulus than Cloisite 20A.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.261-264
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• 2005

Since the first discovery of carbon nanotube (CNT) in 1991, a window to new technological areas has been opened. One of the emerging applications of CNTs is the reinforcement of composite materials to overcome the performance limits of conventional materials. However, because of the difficulties in distributing CNTs homogeneously in metal or ceramic matrix by means of traditional composite processes, it has been doubted whether CNTs can really reinforce metals or ceramics. In this study, CNT reinforced Cu matrix nanocomposite is fabricated by a novel fabrication process named molecular level mixing process. This process produces CNT/Cu composite powders whereby the CNTs are homogeneously implanted within Cu powders. The CNT/Cu nanocomposite, consolidated by spark plasma sintering of CNT/Cu composite powders, shows to be 3 times higher strength and 2 times higher Young’s modulus than Cu matrix. This extra-ordinary strengthening effect of carbon nanotubes in metal is higher than that of any other reinforcement ever used for metal matrix composites.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.47-66
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• 2021

This work addresses the free vibration analysis of Functionally Graded Porous (FGP) nanocomposite truncated conical shells with Graphene PLatelet (GPL) reinforcement. In this study, three different distributions for porosity and three different dispersions for graphene platelets have been considered in the direction of the shell thickness. The Halpin-Tsai equations are used to find the effective material properties of the graphene platelet reinforced materials. The equations of motion are derived based on the higher-order shear deformation theory and Sanders's theory. The Fourier Differential Quadrature (FDQ) technique is implemented to solve the governing equations of the problem and to obtain the natural frequencies of the truncated conical shell. The combination of FDQ with higher-order shear deformation theory allows a very accurate prediction of the natural frequencies. The precision and reliability of the proposed method are verified by the results of literature. Moreover, a wide parametric study concerning the effect of some influential parameters, such as the geometrical parameters, porosity distribution, circumferential wave numbers, GPLs dispersion as well as boundary restraint conditions on free vibration response of FGP-GPL truncated conical shell is also carried out and investigated in detail.

• Carbon letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2010

Graphene is one of the most promising materials for many applications. It can be used in a variety of applications not only as a reinforcement material for polymer to obtain a combination of desirable mechanical, electrical, thermal, and barrier properties in the resulting nanocomposite but also as a component in energy storage, fuel cells, solar cells, sensors, and batteries. Recent research at Michigan State University has shown that it is possible to exfoliate natural graphite into graphite nanoplatelets composed entirely of stacks of graphene. The size of the platelets can be controlled from less than 10 nm in thickness and diameters of any size from sub-micron to 15 microns or greater. In this study we have investigated the influence of melt compounding processing on the physical properties of a polyamide 6 (PA6) nanocomposite reinforced with exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets (xGnP). The morphology, electrical conductivity, and mechanical properties of xGnP-PA6 nanocomposite were characterized with electrical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, AC impedance, and mechanical properties. It was found that counter rotation (CNR) twins crew processed xGnP/PA6 nanocomposite had similar mechanical properties with co-rotation (CoR) twin screw processed or with CoR conducted with a screw design modified for nanoparticles (MCoR). Microscopy showed that the CNR processed nanocomposite had better xGnP dispersion than the (CoR) twin screw processed and modified screw (MCoR) processed ones. It was also found that the CNR processed nanocomposite at a given xGnP content showed the lowest graphite X-ray diffraction peak at $26.5^{\circ}$ indicating better xGnP dispersion in the nanocomposite. In addition, it was also found that the electrical conductivity of the CNR processed 12 wt.% xGnP-PA6 nanocomposite is more than ten times higher than the CoR and MCoR processed ones. These results indicate that better dispersion of an xGnP-PA6 nanocomposite is attainable in CNR twins crew processing than conventional CoR processing.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2003

In this study, two types of biodegradable resins-based clay nanocomposites, in which organic montmorillonite clay was filled, were prepared by the direct melt blending method. In order to characterize the nanocomposite structure, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and TEM observation were performed. Characterization of the nanocomposites shows that intercalated and partially exfoliated structures were generated by the melt blending method. Mechanical and rheological properties of the nanocomposites were measured respectively. For the mechanical properties, there were improvements in tensile strength and Young's modulus of the nanocomposites due to the reinforcement of nanoparticles. The rheological behaviors of the nanocomposites were significantly affected by the degree of the dispersion of the organoclay. The storage modulus of the nanocomposites was measured and the degree of the dispersion of the organoclay was evaluated from the value of the terminal slope of the storage modulus. In addition, the quantity of the shear necessary for making the nanocomposite for melt intercalation method was estimated from the relationship between the value of the terminal slope of the storage modulus and the applied shear.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.221-229
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• 2002

PET nanocomposites filled with fumed silicas were prepared via direct melt compounding method at various mixing conditions such as filler type and filler content. Some fumed silicas were pre-treated to improve the wettability and dispersibility, and principal characterizations were performed to investigate the effects of nano fumed silicas on polymer matrix. Hydrophobic fumed silica (M-FS), which has the similar contact angles of water with neat PET, acted as the best reinforcement for the thermal stability and mechanical properties of PET nanocomposite, and FE-SEM images also showed that M-FS was uniformly dispersed into matrix and had good wettability. But, some filler (O-FS) had low dispersibility and caused the deterioration of mechanical properties. Besides, the results of DSC revealed the nucleation effect of all fillers in polymer matrix, and PET nanocomposite filled with hydroptilic fumed silica (FS) showed markedly the characteristic dynamic rheological properties such as shear thinning behavior at very low frequencies and the decrease of viscosity.