• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2000

Cure characteristics. tensile properties, and dynamic properties were investigated on the carbon black-filled natural rubber compounds, in which three typical vulcanization types conventional vulcanization(Conv), semi-efficient(Semi-EV), and efficient(EV) vulcanizations were used. The effects of vulcanization temperature on both the mechanical property and aging resistance of rubber compounds were also investigated. The Conv cure system showed a slightly slower rate of vulcanization than those of Semi-EV and EV ones. On the other hand, it showed a higher value in the maximum torque of cure curve. Higher tensile moduli were observed in Conv system than those in Semi-EV and EV ones, while lower elongation at break were obtained in Conv one. The tensile strength at break were found to be about the same for three cute systems. Hardness, modulus, and tensile strength decreased with increasing the vulcanization temperature, and the degree of changes in the properties was found to be smaller for EV and Semi-EV systems than that in Conv one. The EV system was found to be superior in thermal-aging resistance to Conv one.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.110-117
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• 2019

The characterization of the ozone oxidation for raw natural rubber (NR) was investigated under controlled conditions through image and fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis. The ozone oxidation was performed on a transparent thin film of raw NR coated on a KBr window in a dark chamber at $40^{\circ}C$ under low humidity conditions to completely exclude thermal, moisture, or light oxidation. The ozone concentration was set at 40 parts per hundred million (pphm). Before or after exposure to ozone, the image of the thin film for raw NR was observed at a right or tilted angle. FT-IR absorption spectra were measured in the transmission mode according to ozone exposure time. The ozone oxidation of NR was determined by the changes in the absorption peaks at 1736, 1715, 1697, and $833cm^{-1}$, which were assigned to an aldehyde group (-CHO), a ketone group (-COR), an inter-hydrogen bond between carbonyl group (-C=O) from an aldehyde or a ketone and an amide group (-CONH-) of protein, and a cis-methine group ($is-CCH_3=CH-$, respectively. During ozone exposure period, the results indicated that the formation of the carbonyl group of aldehyde or ketone was directly related to the decrement of the double bond of cis-1,4-polyisoprene. Only carbonyl compounds such as aldehydes or ketones seemed to be formed through chain scission by ozone. Long thin cracks with one orientation at regular intervals, which resulted in consecutive chain scission, were observed by image analysis. Therefore, one possible two-step mechanism for the formation of aldehyde and ketone was suggested.

• Composites Research
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2007

To evaluate and investigate the aging characteristics and the structural service lifetime of the CFV(carbon fiber pressure vessel), natural aging tests were carried out using the CFVs, which had been placed and aged at outdoor and indoor laboratories for 10 and 15 years, respectively. To obtain the probabilistic characteristics of ageing characteristics in aged CFVs, inner pressure loading test was conducted with ring specimens taken from aged CFVs. And, to observe the interface morphology of aged CFVs, the micro-photographs were taken by SEM microscope and the fractured interfaces between the carbon fiber and the matrix resin were scrutinized. Based on the Weibull parameters of the tensile failure strain of aged CFVs, the degradation of the 10 and the 15 year aged CFV occur by 19% and 23%, respectively, and the effect of the placement, whether being placed inside the laboratory or not, is not so significant. However, the outer layer protection, such as painting, is found very advantageous to prevent CFV from aging.

• Clean Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2011

Scientists and engineers have altered the properties of materials such as metals, alloys, polymers, ceramics, and so on, to suit the ever changing needs of our society. Man-made engineering materials generally demonstrate excellent mechanical properties, which often tar exceed those of natural materials. However, all such engineering materials lack the ability of self-healing, i.e. the ability to remove or neutralize microcracks without intentional human interaction. The damage management paradigm observed in nature can be reproduced successfully in man-made engineering materials, provided the intrinsic character of the various types of engineering materials is taken into account. Various self-healing ptotocols that can be applied for the organic materials such as polymers, ionomers and composites can be developed by utilizing suitable chemical reactions and physical intermolecular interactions.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.278-286
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• 2007

As a part of enhancing the performance of wood-plastic composites (WPC), polypropylene (PP)/ nanoclay (NC)/ wood flour (WF) nanocomposites were prepared using melt blending and injection molding process to evaluate their thermal stability. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was employed to investigate thermal degradation kinetics of the nanocomposites both dynamic and isothermal conditions. Dynamic scans of the TGA showed an increased thermal stability of the nanocomposites at moderate wood flour concentrations (up to 20 phr, percentage based on hundred percent resin) while it decreased with the addition of 30 phr wood flour. The activation energy $(E_a)$ of thermal degradation of nanocomposites increased when nanoclay was added and the concentration of wood flour increased. Different equations were used to evaluate isothermal degradation kinetics using the rate of thermal degradation of the composites, expressed as weight loss (%) from their isothermal TGA curves. Degradation occurred at faster rate in the initial stages of about 60 min., and then proceeded in a gradual manner. However, nanocomposites with wood flour of 30 phr heated at $300^{\circ}C$ showed a drastic difference in their degradation behavior, and reached almost a complete decomposition after 40 min. of the isothermal heating. The degree of decomposition was greater at higher temperatures, and the residual weight of isothermal degradation of nanocomposites greatly varied from about 10 to 90%, depending on isothermal temperatures. The isothermal degradation of nanocomposites also increased their thermal stability with the addition of 1 phr nanoclay and of wood flour up to 20 phr. But, the degradation of PP100/NC1/MAPP3/WF30 nanocomposites with 30 phr wood flour occurs at a faster rate compared to those of the others, indicating a decrease in their thermal stability.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.7
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• pp.1565-1570
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• 2020

Photons with the energy of 60 keV are regularly used for some kinds of bone density examination devices, like the single photon absorptiometry (SPA). This article reports a flexible and lightweight rare earth/polymer composite for enhancing shielding efficiency against photon radiation with the energy of 60 keV. Lead oxide (PbO) and several rare earth element oxides (La₂O₃, Ce₂O₃, Nd₂O₃) were dispersed into natural rubber (NR) and the photon radiation shielding performance of the composites were assessed using monte carlo simulation method. For 60 keV photons, the shielding efficiency of rare earthbased composites were found to be much higher than that of the traditional lead-based composite, which has bad absorbing ability for photons with energies between 40 keV and 88 keV. In comparison with the lead oxide based composite, Nd₂O₃-NR composite with the same protection standard (the lead equivalent is 0.25 mmPb, 0.35 mmPb and 0.5 mmPb, respectively), can reduce the thickness by 35.29%, 37.5% and 38.24%, and reduce the weight by 38.91%, 40.99% and 41.69%, respectively. Thus, a flexible, lightweight and lead-free rare earth/NR composite could be designed, offering efficient photon radiation protection for the users of the single photon absorptiometry (SPA) with certain energy of 60 keV.

• Composites Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.13-21
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• 2001

Substituting composite structures for conventional metallic structures has many advantages because of higher specific stiffness and specific strength of composite materials. In this work, one-piece driveshafts composed of carbon/epoxy and glass/epoxy composites were designed and manufactured for a rear wheel drive automobile satisfying three design specifications, such as static torque transmission capability, torsional buckling and the fundamental natural bending frequency. Single lap adhesive joint was used to join the composite shaft and the aluminum yoke. The torque transmission capability of the adhesively bonded composite shaft was calculated with respect to bonding length and yoke thickness by finite element analysis and compared with the experimental result. Torque transmission capability was based on the Tsai-Wu failure index fur composite shaft and the failure model which incorporated the nonlinear mechanical behavior of aluminum yoke and epoxy adhesive. From the experiments and the finite element analyses, it was found that the static torque transmission capability of the composite driveshaft was highest at the critical yoke thickness, and saturated beyond the critical length. Also, it was found that the one-piece composite driveshaft had 40% weight saving effect compared with a conventional two-piece steel driveshaft.

• Composites Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.1-5
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• 2011

Since the environmental problems and new stricter regulations are forcing the industries to introduce more ecological materials for their products, biodegradable materials have attracted increasing attention. Among these materials, Polylactic acid(PLA) is a promising candidate for its modulus, strength, chemical resistance. However, PLA could not be used for automobile industries for its low heat resistance and impact strength. In this study natural fibers were (jute fiber was) introduced as reinforcements in order to improve heat resistance and impact strength of PLA. Especially for improving the adhesion between PLA and jute, various surface treatments were tried. With each treatment, we verified that the impact strength of composite was improved. With annealing treatment, we found a remarkable increase of heat resistance of PLA composite.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.502-506
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• 2005

In the presence of various clays, nylon/clay nanocomposites were synthesized by anionic polymerization of ${\varepsilon}$-caprolactam (CL) via monomer casting method. The effect of each clay on polymerization reaction was investigated and the change in gallery structure of clays during polymerization was analyzed by X-ray diffraction. When the three kinds of organo-clays were used in the amount of 2 wt% of CL, polymerizations were not successful due to an increase in viscosity during polymerization. Significant changes were not observed in the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites containing organo-clays with 1 wt%. On the other hand, composites containing natural clay up to 5 wt% were successfully prepared, and the composite with 5 wt% showed a decrease in tensile strength and elongation, and remarkable improvement in thermal properties.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.7
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• pp.366-372
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• 2013

Flexible polyurethane/clay porous nanocomposite foams were synthesized using natural and organically modified montmorillonite clays such as bentonite, closite 10A and closite 30B. The content of nanoclays was varied from 1 to 5 wt% of polyol. Dispersion of clay in Polyurethane(PU) matrix was investigated by X-ray diffraction(Cu-$K{\alpha}$ rays of wavelength $1.54{\AA}$) using an X-ray diffractometer. Also, we determined that the thermal resistance of PU foam increased with added clay, compared to that of pure PU foam. The cell size and the fraction of open cells of the precursor foam were controlled by the addition of clay to the polyurethane foam. Modified clays were found to be more efficient cell openers than the unmodified clay. In addition, the tensile strength and elongation of the polyurethane/clay porous nanocomposites were examined. Increasing clay content increased the mechanical properties of the composites, such as tensile strength, and elongation at break. However, increasing the content over 5 wt% deteriorated the properties of the composites. We found that the nanofillers(bentonite, closite 10A and closite 30B) improved the thermal stability of the nanocomposite foam. The nanocomposite foam containing 3 wt% of closite 30B exhibited the best tensile strength and thermal stability.