Papers by Author: Jae Young Lee

Abstract: Epoxy/graphite powder (GP)/carbon fiber filament (CFF) composites have been prepared in various weight ratios and electrical and mechanical properties were estimated in order to use for the bipolar plate in PEMFC. As was expected, electrical conductivity increased with increasing total carbon content, and the value increased with increasing CFF content in the same carbon content. Tensile strength and flexural strength linearly decreased with increasing epoxy content, however in the same carbon content, these values increased with increasing CFF content. The good effect of CFF on the electrical and mechanical properties was due to the strong bonding between CFF and epoxy resin, which was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Abstract: Palladium (Pd) nanoparticles were incorporated into a nylon 6 film via a dry process which consisted of simultaneous vaporization, penetration and reduction processes of palladium (II) bis (acetylacetonate, Pd (acac)₂) at 180°C for various exposure time. The even dispersion of the generated Pd nanoparticles were observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and the Pd loading weight of about 15~43 wt% was measured by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). In order to study the catalytic effect of Pd nanoparticles on the thermal degradation kinetics of nylon 6, TGA data at various heating rates were introduced to Flynn & Wall equation. The thermal degradation activation energy for neat nylon 6 was ca. 162~178 kJ/mol over the thermal degradation fraction of 0.05~0.40 while that of the nylon 6/Pd (26.5 wt%) nanocomposite was ca. 110~169 kJ/mol over the same fraction range. It meant the Pd nanoparticles were acted as a catalyst on the depolymerization of amide group in nylon 6. It was also found that the activation energy decreased slightly with the increasing Pd loading weight.

Abstract: Polymer nanocomposite was synthesized through the intercalation and exfoliation of organoclay in an epoxy matrix. The epoxy matrix was composed of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA, epoxy base resin), 4,4'-methylene dianiline (MDA, curing agent) and malononitrile (MN, chain extender) and organoclay was prepared by treating the montmorillonite with octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (ODTMA). The intercalation of the organoclay was estimated by wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analyses. In order to measure the cure rate of DGEBA/MDA (30 phr)/MN (5 phr)/Organoclay (5 phr), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis were performed at the heating rates of 5, 10, 15 and 20 oC/min, and the data was interpreted by Kissinger equation. Thermal degradation kinetics of the epoxy nanocomposite was also studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The epoxy sample was decomposed in the TGA furnace at the heating rates of 5, 10, 15 and 20 oC/min with nitrogen atmosphere of 50 ml/min. The TGA data was introduced to the Ozawa equation and the degradation activation energy was calculated according to the degradation ratio. The activation energy for cure kinetics was 43.3 kJ/mol and that for thermal degradation was 171.5 kJ/mol.

Abstract: Palladium (Pd) nanoparticles were incorporated into free-standing polymer films, where isotactic polypropylene (iPP) was used, by a one-step dry process involving simultaneous vaporization, absorption and reduction schemes of palladium(II) bis(acetylacetonate), Pd(acac)2 at 180oC, used as a precursor. iPP film was exposed to the sublimed Pd(acac)2 vapor in a glass vessel with nitrogen atmosphere heated at 180oC. The exposing time was 30 min and the Pd nanoparticle contents in polymer films were estimated from ash contents in a sample of about 5 mg by pyrolysis of the films at 800 oC for 1 h in an electric furnace of the TGA apparatus under dry argon atmosphere. The sensitivity of the TGA apparatus was 0.2 mg, and thus the minimum content to be measured was 0.004 wt% of a 5 mg sample. The reduced Pd nanoparticles were observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM), and it was found that metal nanoparticles were selectively loaded into the amorphous regions between the lamellae of crystalline polymers having higher melting temperatures than the processing temperature (180 oC). In order to measure the thermal degradation rate, TGA data measured by the heating rates of 5, 10, 15 and 20 oC /min at the nitrogen atmosphere of 200 ml/min. The TGA data was introduced to the Ozawa equation and the degradation activation energy was calculated according to the degradation ratio.

Abstract: The application of polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEMFC) to the electrical vehicles is restricted by high material cost and complicated manufacturing process. The epoxy based graphite composite has been prepared with various additives. The possibility for bipolar plate material at PEMFC was investigated by electrical and thermal properties. Density of bipolar plate with graphite composite was decreased from 5.40 to 2.57 as 80 w/o of graphite content were changed to 50 w/o of graphite content and 30 w/o of expanded graphite. The percolation thresholds showed around 75 w/o of graphite content was varied by molding pressure. From the TGA analysis, the glass transition temperatures were shown around 250 degrees and less that 3% of weight loss was found at 150 degree. The surface conductivity of epoxy/graphite bipolar plate showed from 4.5 S/cm to 87 S/cm and the highest value of conductivity was obtained using expanded graphite powder only. The improvement of thermal stability and electrical properties was accomplished by addition of expanded graphite powder.