Oriented and exfoliated single wall carbon nanotubes in polyacrylonitrile

• Published in: Polymer (Guilford) Vol. 47; no. 10; pp. 3494 - 3504
• Main Authors: Chae, Han Gi, Minus, Marilyn L., Kumar, Satish
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 03.05.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Fibers and threads; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Gel spinning; Polyacrylonitrile; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Single wall carbon nanotube; Technology of polymers; Gel spinning; Polyacrylonitrile; Single wall carbon nanotube; Synthetic fiber; Mechanical properties; Carbon nanotubes; Tensile property; Experimental study; Exfoliation; Singlewalled nanotube; Oriented polymer; Acrylonitrile polymer; Dynamic mechanical properties; Morphology; Concentration effect; Nanocomposite; Manufacturing
• ISSN: 0032-3861; 1873-2291
• DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2006.03.050

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) fibers were gel spun at 0, 0.5, and 1wt% SWNT content to a draw ratio of 51. Structure, morphology, and mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of these fibers have been studied. PAN/SWNT composite exhibited much higher electron beam radiation resistance than PAN. As a result, PAN lattice images could be easily observed in the composite fiber by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The PAN/SWNT composite fiber also exhibited higher solvent resistance than the control PAN fiber. UV–vis spectroscopy of highly drawn fiber exhibited van Hove transitions, suggesting SWNT exfoliation upon drawing. SWNT exfoliation was also confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). At 1wt% SWNT loading, fiber storage modulus (at 1Hz) increased by 13.9, 6.6, and 0.2GPa at −75, 25, and 150°C, respectively. This suggests that the load transfer ability and hence interfacial strength is increasing with decreasing temperature, even below the polymer's γ transition temperature.