• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 2011

The aging degradation and lifetime assessment of a domestic class 1E Ethylene-Propylene-Diene-Monomer (EPDM), which is a popular insulating elastomer for electrical cables in the nuclear power plants, were studied for equipment qualification verification under the Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA) conditions. The specimens were acceleratively aged, underwent a LOCA environment, as well as tested mechanically, thermo-gravimetrically, and spectroscopically according to the American Society of the Testing of Materials (ASTM) procedures. The tensile test results revealed that the elongation at break gradually decreased with an increasing aging temperature. The lifetime of EPDM aged isothermally at $140^{\circ}C$ was 1,316 hours and reduced to 1,120 hours after experiencing the severe accident test. The activation energies of the elongation reduction were $1.10{\pm}0.196$ eV and $0.93{\pm}0.191$ eV before and after the LOCA condition, respectively. The TGA test results also showed that the activation energy of the aging decomposition decreased from 1.35 eV to 1.02 eV after undergoing the LOCA environment. Although the mechanical property changes were discernibly observed during the aging process, along with the LOCA simulation, the FT-IR analysis showed that the spectroscopic peaks and their intensities did not alter significantly. Therefore, it can be concluded that the degradation of the domestic class 1E EPDM due to aging can be tolerable, even in severe accident conditions such as LOCA, and thus it qualifies as a suitable insulating material for electrical cables in the nuclear power plants.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.613-620
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• 2013

Concrete has been recognized as a material which is resistant to high temperatures, but chemicophysical property of concrete is changed by the high temperature. So, mechanical properties of concrete may be reduced. Because of this, standards and researches on the degradation of the mechanical properties of concrete at high temperatures have been presented. However, research data about the state that considering the loading condition and high-strength concrete is not much. Therefore, this study evaluated the high-temperature properties of high-strength concrete by loading condition and elevated temperature. The stress-strain, strain at peak stress, compressive strength, elastic modulus, thermal strain and the transient creep are evaluated under the non-loading and $0.25f_{cu}$ loading conditions on high strength concrete of W/B 12.5%, 14.5% and 20%. Result of the experiment, decrease in compressive strength due to high temperature becomes larger as the compressive strength increases, and residual rate of elastic modulus and compressive strength is high by the shrinkage caused by loading and thermal expansion due to high temperature are offset from each other, at a temperature above $500^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.301-305
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• 2011

ABS/silicate composites with different clay types and compositions were prepared by in situ emulsion polymerization. The chemical structure of ABS was confirmed by the change of C-H stretching peak(near 3000 $cm^{-1}$) in fourier transform-infrared(FT-IR) spectrum. The thermal properties of the ABS/silicate composites were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and thermogravimetric analyzer(TGA). There was no distinct change in glass transition temperature of the ABS/silicate composites with different clay types. TGA curve indicates a dramatic increase in degradation temperature in case of ABS/20A composite with 3 wt% 20A. The silicate dispersion in the composites was measured by X-ray diffraction(XRD). The silicate dispersion in ABS/20A composites depended on the 20A composition. XRD results showed that the diffraction peak of the ABS/20A composite appeared when the content of 20A was higher than 5 wt%.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.24 no.9 s.180
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• pp.2183-2190
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• 2000

A thermal aging is observed in a primary reactor cooling system(RCS) made of a casting stainless steel when the RCS is exposed for long period at the reactor operating temperature, 290~3300C An investigation of effects of thermal aging on a low cycle fatigue characteristics included a stress variations caused by a reactor operation and trip, is required. The purpose of the present investigation is to find an effect of a thermal aging of the CF8M on a low cycle fatigue life. The specimen of CF8M are prepared by an artificially accelerated aging technique holding 300 and 1800hr at 4300C respectively. The low cycle fatigue tests for the virgin and two aged specimens are performed at the room temperature for various strain amplitudes($\varepsilon$ta), 0.3, 0.5, 0.8, 1.0, 1.2 and 1.5% strain. Through the experiment, it is found that the fatigue life is rapidly reduced with an creasing of the aging time. The experimental fatigue life estimation formulas between the virgin and two aged specimen are obtained and are proposed to a analysis purpose.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2002

In this study, poly(arylene ether sulfone) (PAES) having thermal stability and excellent mechanical properties was synthesized to be useful for the matrix of anion exchange resin. $1^{\circ}$-Aminated poly(arylene ether sulfone) ($1^{\circ}$-APAES) was prepared by reduction reaction after lithiation of PAES. Then $3^{\circ}$-APAES was Prepared by alkylation of the amino group of $1^{\circ}$-APAES. The structures of PAES and APAESs were confirmed with FT-IR and $^1H-NMR$ spectroscopy. Also, thermal properties of the resins were characterized by DSC and TG analysis. The introduction of amine groups in PAES resulted in the increase of glass transition temperature and decrease of initial thermal degradation temperature. The ion exchange capacities of $1^{\circ}$-APAES and $1^{\circ}$-APAES were 1.19 and 1.45 meq/g, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.126-131
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to assess the condition of composites used in aircraft under varying temperature environment with ultrasound guided wave technique. Investigation of crucial influential factor on the composite health monitoring related to aircraft operational environments such as the number of thermal cycles and temperature deviation between ground level and flight altitude has been of a great concern for aircraft safety issue. In this study, ultrasonic guided wave health monitoring scheme is proposed to evaluate composite specimens damaged with the thermal fatigue simulating aircraft operational condition. Guided wave dispersion curves are used to select right modes which show a promising sensitivity to each different thermal fatigue damage level. The present approach can be also implemented as one of on-lines health monitoring tools for aircraft.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.266-271
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• 2005

In this work, the thermal stability factors, such as the thermal decomposition temperature, decomposition activation energy ($E_d$), and char yield, were measured to investigate the effect of silicone rubber (SR) content on the thermal stabilities of EPDM/SR blends. As a result, the thermal decomposition curve of EPDM/SR blends was similar to the neat EPDM rubber at 10 wt% SR and the thermal decomposition temperature increased above this content. The $E_d$ value of EPDM rubber initially decreased and then was constant above 20 wt% weight losses. The $E_d$ of EPDM/SR blends was higher than that of the neat EPDM rubber and then decreased with increasing the weight loss when the SR content was in the range of 10-20 wt%. Whereas the $E_d$ of the blends was lower than that of the EPDM rubber and then decreased with increasing the weight loss when 30 wt% SR was added. The char yield at $800^{\circ}C$ increased with increasing the SR content, because the decomposition of silane groups in the backbone was capable of forming a silane-rich residue after the initial stage of thermal degradation, which finally prevents further heat transfer and diffusion in the blends.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.996-1001
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• 2010

Recently, the demand of ceramic metal halide lamp has been expanded. Therefore, the lamp with high efficiency and long lifetime are increasing and the evaluation of reliability is needed. In this paper, the degradation phenomena of ceramic metal halide lamp was studied. The lamp was tested for 3000 on/off cycles with each cycle having a duration of 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off based on the accelerated aging experiment based on "Reliability Standards RS C 0085". As result, the corrosion of arc tube and leak was appeared from reaction between inner wall of PCA and chemical elements, and distortion of electrode was resulted from difference of thermal expansion between arc tube of PCA and electrode. Also, the efficiency of lamp was decreased by the change of inner pressure, operation temperature, and driving voltage from wall blackening.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.662-668
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• 2013

Reported here are results of the mechanical and electrical properties of both of intact and thermally degraded epoxy-coated copper busducts that are made by fluidized bed process. To elucidate and compare the properties mentioned above, electrical breakdown by thermal and water aging, v-t characteristic, bending test, impact test and cross cut test are carried out. Although the performance of electrical and mechanical properties are gradually decreased in increasing the severe conditions such as temperature, aging time, and so forth, sample C has a better performance in both mechanical and electrical properties.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.872-876
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• 2001

Topological changes caused by the alkaline and enzymatic attacks of solution-grown, chain-folded lamellar crystals (SGCs) of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] P(3HB) have been studied in order to investigate the chain-folding structure in P(3HB) crystal regions. NaOH and an extracellular PHB depolymerase purified from Alcaligenes faecalis T1 were used for alkaline and enzymatic hydrolysis, respectively. The measurements were performed on crystals attached to a substrate which is inactive to degradation mediums. Both alkaline and enzymatic attacks lead to a breakup of the lamellar crystals along the crystallographic b-axis during initial erosion. Since hydrolysis preferentially occurs in amorphous regions, this morphological result reflects relatively loosely packed chains in core parts of lamellar crystals. Additionally, it was supported by the ridge formation along the b-axis in the lamellar crystals after thermal treatment at a low temperature because of the thermally sensitive nature of the loosely packed chains in lamellar crystals. However, the alkaline hydrolysis accompanied the chain erosions or scissions in quasi-regular folded lamellar surfaces due to smaller size of alkaline ions in comparison to the enzyme, resulting in the decrease of molecular weight.