Cellulose nanofiber (CNF) has attracted significant attention as a next-generation insulating material due to its ecofriendly nature and outstanding functionalities. However, conventional kraft insulation paper suffers from limited dielectric breakdown strength and long-term reliability under high-voltage conditions, highlighting the need for alternative materials. In this study, kraft pulp was combined with five types of CNFs (A, B, C: wood-based / D, E: non-wood-based) to fabricate composite insulation papers, and their electrical and mechanical properties were systematically evaluated. The results showed that CNF incorporation generally enhanced density and tensile strength, while certain types contributed to lowering dielectric constant and improving breakdown strength. Among the wood-based CNFs, type C exhibited the most balanced performance in terms of dielectric stability and mechanical reinforcement. Among the non-wood-based CNFs, type E demonstrated notable improvements in structural compactness and tensile strength, suggesting favorable reliability. Therefore, this study identifies CNF C among wood-based types and CNF E among non-wood-based types as the most promising candidates for insulation performance enhancement, suggesting their applicability as next-generation insulating materials for power equipment and ecofriendly electronic devices.
To ensure high-voltage stability and thermal resistance of insulation paper used in transformers, this study evaluated the structural and electrical properties of four types of insulation paper samples fabricated using unbleached kraft pulp (UKP). The samples were prepared under controlled conditions with different freeness levels (300-700 ml). Tensile strength, dielectric constant, breakdown strength (dry and oil), volume resistivity, water absorption, and oil absorption were quantitatively measured. The sample with a beating degree of 300 exhibited the highest breakdown strength (53.85 kV/mm) and volume resistivity (1.49×1016 Ω·cm), whereas the samples with higher beating intensity showed improved fiber bonding and densification. These findings demonstrate the practical applicability of UKP-based insulation paper as a high-performance, eco-friendly insulating material for transformer systems, providing a scientific foundation for process optimization in insulation paper design.
For enhancing the flame-retardant properties of wallpapers, we developed an organic-inorganic hybrid solution with ZrSiO4 as a functional ceramic powder, coated on non-woven fabric using dip coating, spray coating, and slot-die coating methods. Their flame retardant properties were characterized by a 45° combustion tester, which is manufactured according to the flame-retardant performance standard (KOFEIS 1001 and KS F 2819). In organic-inorganic hybrid solution, with increasing the concentration of acid-catalyst (acetic acid), the precipitation of ZrSiO4 powders increased, and the flame retardant properties decreased. The highest flame retardant result was obtained for the solution adding 5 wt% acetic acid. The optimization of the coating method and coating number resulted in the most excellent flame-retardant properties being obtained for the non-woven fabric coated for 5 or 7 times by dip coating method, and their flame-retardant properties corresponded to class 2 flame-retardant performance of wallpapers.
We fabricated plate typed shunt resistors composed of carbon nanotube (CNT) and metal alloy for measuring DC current. CNT plates were prepared from dispersed CNT/Urethane solution by squeezing method. Cu/Ni alloys were prepared from composition-designed alloy wires for adjusting the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) by pressing them. As well, we fabricated a hybrid resistor by squeezing the CNT/Urethane solution on the metal alloy plate directly. In order to confirm the composition ratio of the Cu/Ni alloy, we used an energy-dispersed X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Cross-section and surface morphology were analyzed by using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Finally, we measured the initial resistance of 2.35 Ω at 25℃ for the CNT paper resistor, 7.56 mΩ for the alloy resistor, and 7.38 mΩ for the hybrid resistor. The TCR was also measured to be -778.72 ppm/℃ at the temperature range between 25℃ to 125℃ for the CNT paper resistor, 824.06 ppm/℃ for the alloy resistor, and 17.61 ppm/℃ for the hybrid resistor. Some of the hybrid resistors showed a near-zero TCR of 1.38, -2.77, 2.66, and 5.49 ppm/℃, which might be the world best-value ever reported. Consequently, we could expect an error-free measurement of the DC current using this resistor.
For electronic paper displays using electrophoresis, the response time and reflectivity of the image panel fabricated by filtering are analyzed. For the filtering process, a square wave and ramp wave are applied to white charged particles with a unique q/m value. We divide the sample panels into #1 to #4 according to the applied waveform in the filtering process. Step waves comprising two steps are used to drive the panel; therefore, we divide the driving conditions into D1~D4. The applied voltage at the first stage of the half cycle of the driving waveform moves the charged particles attached via the image force from the electrode, and the applied voltage at the second stage moves the floating charged particles by detaching. As mentioned, four types of driving conditions (D1 to D4) classified according to the half cycle of the driving waveform are applied to the samples #1 to #4), which are classified according to four types of filtering process. When driving condition D1 is applied to the four types of sample panels, the rise time of #1 is 1.59s, #2 is 1.706s, #3 is 1.853s, and #4 is 1.235s, resulting in #4 being relatively faster compared with other sample panels, and showing the same trend in other driving conditions. As a result, we confirm that applying the driving condition D1 causes abrupt movement of the white charged particles injected into the cell. When the same driving waveform (D1) is applied to each sample, reflectivities of 32.1% for #1, 31.4% for #2, 27.9% for #3, and 63.4% for #4 are measured. From the experiment, we confirm that the driving condition D1 (1s of 3.5 V, 9s of 3.0 V) and ramp wave #4 in filtering are desirable for good reflectivity and response time. Our research is expected to contribute to the improvement of the filtering process and optimization of the driving waveform.
In this study, the drift current characteristics of charged particles are analyzed for panels fabricated by varying the waveform biasing of the active particle loading method (APLM), which is a method driven by the electrophoretic principle of loading charged particles into a cell of a barrier rib-type electronic paper. We prepare 3 panels using APLM and 1 panel without APLM. The waveform of APLM uses square wave and ramp wave, and the step voltage wave is applied to the driving voltage. The drift currents measured from the square wave and ramp wave with the same period applied by APLM are 4.872 μC and 5.464 μC, respectively, and the ramp wave is shown to be relatively advantageous for loading charged particles that have a large q/m. The time–current curve results confirm that the abrupt movement of charged particles is occurring. When the step form wave signal with a short time of 1s is first applied, initial large movement of the charged particles is confirmed to occur in all samples, which is understood as the effect of applying the voltage necessary to remove the imaging force. The results of this study are expected to improve the loading of charged particles into the electronic paper cell, driven by the electrophoretic principle and optimization of the driving conditions.
We analyzed the drift current by charged particles according to the loading methods applied into a closed cell by electronic ink at a reflective-type display panel using an electrophoretic mechanism. For this experiment, various panels were fabricated with injection voltages for electronic ink taking values in the range -4~0 V. The size of each cell was 220 μm × 220 μm and height of the barrier rib was 54.28 μm. The electronic ink was fabricated by mixing electrically neutral fluid and single-charge white particles. Drift current was measured by moving charged particles. A biasing voltage of 6 V was applied to the display panel. As a result, the drift current was proportional to the injection voltage for electronic ink, but it decreased in case of an injection voltage above -3 V. Our experimentation ascertained that the concentration of charged particles injected into closed cells is controlled by the injection voltage and the selective injection of charged particles above movable q/m is possible.
An investigation was conducted to determine whether the ratio of the fluid to the charged particles affects the panel reflexibility rate and the drifting current flowing in the panel, in electrophoretic-based electronic paper. In this regard, three panels were produced in this study with the ratio of the charged particles to the fluid set as 1:5, 1:1, and 5:1. Each sample was driven using an identical input pulse, for which the current flowing in the panel and the output voltage of the photodiode were measured for the panel reflexibility rate. Consequently, the drifting current initially exhibited a peak value and a saturated value at a later point. This value was proportional to the ratio of the charged particles, and it was similar to this ratio when it is higher than 1:1. The output voltage of the photodiode due to the panel reflexibility rate was proportional to the ratio of the charged particles. However, the response speed decreased if the ratio was higher than 1:1. It is expected that the results of this study will contribute to the analysis of the charging of charged particles in electrophoretic-based electronic paper, and the selection of an appropriate concentration.
A multiple-electrode-type electronic paper film can implement a single color and control the transparency, as it has multiple electrodes in one cell. Therefore, it can be used as a transparent display. In this paper, we explain the structure and driving method of a transparent electronic paper display, and then propose a control method of transmittance. Subsequently, we verify the theory by measuring the transmittance via experiment. Thus, by changing the manner of applying the voltage to three lower electrodes and one upper electrode, transmittance in eight cases could be realized. It was confirmed that the transmittance derived from the experiment could be controlled from a minimum of 6.75% to a maximum of 71.18%.
In this study, we fabricated plate-type shunt resistors with thermal stability by parallelly connecting metal alloy plates with positive temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and carbon nanotube (CNT) plates with negative TCR. The metal alloy plates, which were prepared by alloying Cu and Mn with a composition of 91 wt% of Cu and 9 wt% of Mn, showed around 800 ppm/℃ of TCR, and the CNT plates prepared from the CNT solution by using the vacuum filtration method showed around -800 ppm/℃ of TCR. The shunt resistor that was fabricated by stacking metal alloy plates and CNT plates in this work showed about 46.93 ppm/℃ of TCR. Therefore, we conclude that a shunt resistor with low TCR can be realized by simply adjusting the TCR of the metal alloy only, because the TCR of the CNT plate has an identical value.
A multielectrode electronic paper film capable of expressing a single-color image was fabricated by injecting color electronic ink into an electronic paper panel; on the basis of its reflective or transparent properties, it is possible to control the expression of six single-color images and their transmittance. In this study, a single-color image was represented by driving a multielectrode electronic paper film; color coordinates were measured. The six capable single colors were yellowish pink (0.444, 0.354), white (0.355, 0.352), black (0.241, 0.241), orange (0.514, 0.360), reddish orange (0.606, 0.338), and reddish purple (0.469, 0.145). Color particles used in this paper were black and white, by which six colors are accomplished, but more single-color images can be combined by using cyan, magenta, and yellow particles.
An electronic paper display was fabricated by injecting electronic ink, including white and black particles coated by positive and negative charge control agents (CCA), respectively, into closed cells surrounded by micro-barriers. These two types of charged, colored particles are easily damaged or their charging value can be changed by the injection process; therefore, the electrical and optical properties of the image panel fabricated by the injection method were estimated in this study. The active particle-loading method, proposed as a new electronic ink injection process, was applied, and the electro-optical properties of the resulting three-electrode-type e-paper image panel were analyzed. The reflection rate of the white image-panel fabricated with our new injection method was 24.7%, while that of the same panel fabricated with a previously reported injection method was 19.8%. In addition, the response time was improved by about five times compared to those reported in other publications.
In 3 electrode reflective displays using a plastic substrate, unstable packaging induces particle clumping and optical degradation due to external air inflow and electronic ink evaporation. In this work, we fabricate 3 electrode electronic paper using glass wafer, ITO/plastic film, and ITO/glass/gas barrier film as an upper substrate after injecting electronic ink onto the lower substrate. Then, we studied its properties. After operating under stress conditions for 336 hours at 85℃ and 75% humidity, the reflectivity of driven e-paper panels with white color was 25.5% for the panels using glass wafer, 22.5% for plastic film including a gas barrier layer, and 16% for plastic film only. From these optical properties, we conclude that gas barrier film improves upper film isolation as a desirable packaging method.
Thermal batteries use inorganic salt as electrolyte, which is inactive at room temperature. As soon as heat pellets are fired by an igniter, all the solid electrolytes are instantly melted into excellent ionic conductors. However, the abnormal heat generation by the igniter flame or heat pellets causes the thermal decomposition of the electrode and the melting of the anode, eventually leading to a thermal runaway, which results in overheating or explosion. The thermal runaway can be significantly reduced by the adoption of Zr/BaCrO4 heat papers. In this study, the heat papers with various ratios of fuel (Zr) and oxidizer (BaCrO4) were prepared by the paper-making process. We have investigated the calorimetric value, burning rate, and ignition sensitivity. The ignition test of heat pellets and the discharge test of thermal batteries were also carried out. At the composition of 40 wt.% of Zr, the heat papers showed the highest specific calorimetric value and burning rate. As a result, Zr/BaCrO4 heat paper made by the paper-making process has shown the applicability for thermal batteries.
We fabricate a single particle-microcapsule type electronic paper using electrophoresis, which is different with a reported dual particle-microcapsule type and of which electro-optical researches are not reported. So we analyzed a basic properties, such as reflectivity, response time, and driving voltage. Our display panels having various cell-gaps of 30 ㎛, 34 ㎛, 38 ㎛, 42 ㎛, and 46 ㎛ are inspected. As a results, a driving voltage is defined to 10 V and desirable cell-gap is 30 ㎛ or 34 ㎛. Considering a mechanical strength, the optimum cell-gap is 34 ㎛ for the single particle type electronic paper.
Thermal batteries are primary reserve batteries that use inorganic salt as electrolytes which areinactive at room temperature. The two principal heat sources that have been used in thermal batteries areheat paper and heat pellets. As soon as the heat paper, which is ignited by the initiator, in turn ignites theheat pellets, all the solid electrolytes are melted into excellent ionic conductors. However, the highcombustion temperature by heat papers in thermal batteries causes thermal decomposition at the cathode,eventually leading to a thermal runaway. In this paper, we have attempted to prepare Zr/BaCrO4 heatpapers coated with KCl molten salt. We have also investigated the effect of a molten salt coating on theheat papers through the thermal characteristics such as calorimetric value, combustion temperature andburning rate. The calorimetric value and combustion temperature of heat papers were reduced with anincrease in the molten salt coating. As a result, the molten salt coating on heat papers greatly reducedrisk of a thermal runaway and improved the stability of thermal batteries.