• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.287-296
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• 2013

To decompose carbon dioxide, which is a representative greenhouse gas, a plasma torch was designed and manufactured. To examine the characteristics of carbon dioxide decomposition via plasma discharge, a case wherein pure carbon dioxide was supplied and a case wherein methane and/or $TiCl_4$ were injected as additives were investigated and compared. The carbon dioxide and methane conversion rate, energy decomposition efficiency, produced gas concentration, carbon monoxide and hydrogen selectivity, carbon-black and $TiO_2$ were also investigated. The maximum carbon dioxide conversion rate was 28.9% when pure carbon dioxide was supplied; 44.6% when $TiCl_4$ was injected as am additive; and 100% percent when methane was injected as an additive. Therefore, this could be explained that the methane injection showed the highest carbon dioxide decomposition. Furthermore, the carbon-black and $TiO_2$ were compared with each commercial materials through XRD and SEM. It was found that the carbon-black that was produced in this study is similar for commercial materials. It was found that the $TiO_2$ that was produced in this study is suitable for photocatalyst and pigment because it has mixed anataze and rutile.

• Carbon letters
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2005

Plasma carbon blacks of 20~30 nm diameter were synthesized by direct decomposition of natural gas using a hybrid plasma torch system with 50 kW direct current and 4 MHz of radio frequency. The insulating rector which inside diameter of 400 mm and length of 1500 mm, respectively was kept at 300~$400^{\circ}C$ during the preparation. The ultimate analysis of plasma carbon blacks reveals that the raw plasma carbon blacks contains a large quantity of volatile which is mainly consist of hydrogen. Therefore devolatilization of raw plasma carbon blacks were carried out at $900^{\circ}C$ for one hour under nitrogen atmosphere. The devolatilization leads to the decrease in electrical resistivity and surface oxygen functional groups of plasma carbon black significantly. In order to investigate the plasma carbon as a catalyst support, devolatilized plasma black at $900^{\circ}C$ (DPB) supported PtAu catalyst was synthesized by sodium boronhydride reduction method. Electrochemical measurements and direct formic acid fuel cell test indicated that catalytic activity of DPB supported PtAu catalyst for formic acid oxidation was similar to that of Vulcan XC-72 of commercial carbon black supported one.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.99-106
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• 2002

In this work, the surface properties and mechanical interfacial properties of the carbon blacks treated by oxygen plasma were investigated. The surface properties of carbon black by oxidation process of oxygen plasma were studied in acid-base surface value, zeta potential, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). And their mechanical interfacial properties of the carbon black/rubber composites were evaluated by the composite tearing energy ($G_{III}c$). As a result, it was found that the introduction rate of oxygen-containing polar functional groups, such as carboxyl, hydroxyl, lactone, and carbonyl groups, onto the carbon black surfaces was increased by increasing the plasma treatment time. It revealed that the polar rubber, such as acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR), showed relatively a high degree of interaction with oxygen-containing functional groups of the carbon black surfaces, resulting in improving the tearing energy ($G_{III}c$) of the carbon black/acrlyonitrile butadiene rubber composites.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.491-491
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• 2013

A novel plasma system has been developed for 3-dimensional modification of the carbon nano-powders. Improvement of dispersion of these nano materials are studied by plasma discharge, not using chemical modification. The plasma process is considered to great advantages over wet chemical process due to environmental, economic viewpoint, and uniformity over the treated volume. The uniform dispersion is a critical factor for these material's nano composite applications. Using this plasma system, graphene, carbon black, and CNT was treated and functionalized. Several key discharge conditions such as Ar/H2/O2 or Ar/H2/NH3 gas ratio, treatment time, power, feeder's vibration frequency are investigated. Hydrophobic of graphene has turned some more into hydrophilic by reaction test with water, electrophoresis, surface contact angle test, and turbidity analysis. The oxygen content ratio in the plasma treated CNT has increased about 3.7 times than the untreatedone. In the case of graphene and carbon black, the oxygen- and nitrogen- content has been enhanced average 10%. O-H (N-H) peak, C-O (C-N) peak, and C=O (C=N) peak data have been detected by FTIR measurement and intensified compared to before-plasma treatment due to O2 or NH3 content.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.6-12
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• 2003

Plasma carbon black(PB) which prepared by plasma pyrolysis of methane was treated at 800, 1300 and $2100^{\circ}C$ under $2\times10^{-2}$ torr. Four different samples including raw PB were added to $LiCoO_2$, cathode active material of lithium secondary battery, to investigate effects of properties of plasma black as conductors on electrochemical characteristics. Based on our experimental results, PB conductors with low amount of surface functional groups and high electrical conductivity enhanced the cyclability and the initial discharge capacity. However, deterioration of rate capability and cyclability were observed (or the plasma black treated at $2100^{\circ}C$ For the plasma black conductor prepared from plasma pyrolysis, the effects of properties of carbon black on electrochemical characteristics were combined results of changes in electrical conductivity and structural properties such as agglomeration of plasma black. The conductivity of plasma black increased with treatment temperature, while dispersion of plasma black decreased. As a result, the high cyclability of cell was observed at $800^{\circ}C$ of heat treatment temperature.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.84-89
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• 2007

Direct decomposition of hydrocarbon (methane, propane) was studied using a thermal plasma to produce high purity hydrogen and carbon black. Thermodynamic equilibrium compositions were calculated based on the minimization of Gibb's free energy, and decomposition experiments were performed on the basis of calculation results. The purity of hydrogen was found to be depended strongly on the flow rate of hydrocarbon. The decomposition conditions for high purity hydrogen were investigated. The purity of hydrogen produced from methane decomposition was higher than that from propane. In the case of propane, it was investigated that by products such as methane, acetylene, and ethane etc., by radical recombination under thermal plasma were produced more than that of methane. Produced carbon blacks were characterized by material analyses, such as XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, and particle size analysis. In both methane and propane decompositions, well-crystallized carbon blacks were produced and showed uniform and sphere-like morphologies. The size of carbon black synthesized from methane was observed to be smaller than that from propane.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.209-216
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• 2012

The biological activity of particles is largely dependent on their size in biological systems. Dispersion in the aqueous phase has been both a critical impediment to and a prerequisite for particle studies. Carbon black has been used as a surrogate to investigate the biological effects of carbonaceous particles. Here, biocompatible methods were established to disperse carbon black into ultrafine and fine particles which are generally distinguished by the small size of 100 nm. Carbon black with a distinct particle size, N330 and N990 were suspended in blood plasma, cell culture media, Krebs-Ringer's solution (KR), or physiological salt solution (PSS). Large clumps were observed in all dispersion preparations; however, sonication improved dispersion - averaged particle sizes for N330 and N990 were $85.0{\pm}42.9$ and $112.4{\pm}67.9$ nm, respectively, in plasma; the corresponding sizes in culture media were $84.8{\pm}38.4$ and $164.1{\pm}77.8$ nm. However, sonication was not enough to disperse N330 less than 100 nm in either KR or PSS. Application of Tween 80 along with sonication reduced the size of N330 to less than 100 nm, and dispersed N990 larger than 100 nm ($73.6{\pm}28.8$ and $80.1{\pm}30.0$ nm for N330 and $349.5{\pm}161.8$ and $399.8{\pm}181.1$ nm for N990 in KR and PSS, respectively). In contrast, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) exhibited little effect. Electron microscopy confirmed the typical aciniform structure of the carbon arrays; however, zeta potential measurement failed to explain the dispersibility of carbon black. The methods established in this study could disperse carbon black into ultrafine and fine particles, and may serve as a useful model for the study of particle toxicity, particularly size-related effects.

• Carbon letters
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.74-78
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• 2003

Four kinds of plasma blacks were prepared by plasma pyrolysis under various metallic catalysts coated on honeycomb, and investigated the catalytic effect on the characteristics of the plasma blacks prepared under plasma pyrolysis condition. Pt, Pt-Rh, and Pd catalysts were employed as active materials to prepare the plasma blacks. In the experimental range studied, the metallic catalysts influenced on surface area, particle size, surface oxygen content and electrical conductivity of the plasma blacks prepared. It was showed that more dense particle of plasma blacks were prepared under existence of metallic catalysts. Presence of the metallic catalyst reduces the electrical resistivity of plasma blacks due to the decrease in the amount of oxygen functional groups. The highest electrical conductivity of plasma black was observed in the Pt catalyst and then followed by those Pt-Rh, Pd and bare cordierite honeycomb.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1326-1331
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• 2004

In this paper, we have investigated thermal properties and Impurities content of specimens showing by changing the content of carbon black that is semiconductive materials for underground power transmission. Specimens were made of sheet form with the three of existing resins and the nine of specimens for measurement. Impurities content of specimens was measured by ICPAES(Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometer). Heat capacity(ΔH) and melting temperature(Tm) were measured by DSC(Differential Scanning Calorimetry). The ranges of measurement temperature were from $0^{\circ}C$ to 20$0^{\circ}C$, and heating temperature was 4$^{\circ}C$/min. And then thermal diffusivity was measured by LFA 447. The measurement temperature was $25^{\circ}C$. Impurities content was highly measured according to increasing the content of carbon black from ICPAES results. And heat capacity and melting temperature from the DSC results were simultaneously decreased according to increasing the content of carbon black, while thermal diffusivity was increased according to increasing the content of carbon black. Because ionic impurities of carbon black containg Fe, Co, Mn, Al, and Zn were rapidly increasing kinetic energy by vibration of ionic impurities through the applied heat energy.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.894-898
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• 2016

Solution plasma is a unique method which provides a direct discharge in solutions. It is one of the promising techniques for various applications including the synthesis of metallic/non-metallic nanomaterials, decomposition of organic compounds, and the removal of microorganism. In the context of nanomaterial syntheses, solution plasma has been utilized to produce carbon nanoparticles and metallic-carbon nanoparticle systems. The main purpose of this study was to synthesize nickel nanoparticles embedded in a matrix of carbon particles by solution plasma in one-step using waste vegetable oil as the carbon source. The experimental setup was done by simply connecting a bipolar pulsed power generator to nickel electrodes, which were submerged in the waste vegetable oil. Black powders of the nickel nanoparticles-embedded carbon (NiNPs/Carbon) particles were successfully obtained after discharging for 90 min. The morphology of the synthesized NiNPs/Carbon was investigated by a scanning electron microscope, which revealed a good dispersion of NiNPs in the carbon-particle matrix. The X-ray diffraction of NiNPs/Carbon clearly showed the co-existence of crystalline Ni nanostructures and amorphous carbon. The crystallite size of NiNPs (through the Ni (111) diffraction plane), as calculated by the Scherrer equation was found to be 64 nm. In addition, the catalytic activity of NiNPs/Carbon was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry in an acid solution. It was found that NiNPs/Carbon did not show a significant catalytic activity in the acid solution. Although this work might not be helpful in enhancing the activity of the fuel cell catalysts, it is expected to find application in other processes such as the CO conversion (by oxidation) and cyclization of organic compounds.