Carbon fibers prepared from tailored reversible‐addition‐fragmentation transfer copolymerization‐derived poly(acrylonitrile)‐co‐poly(methylmethacrylate). Issue 9 (12th February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Spörl, Johanna M.; Ota, Antje; Beyer, Ronald; Lehr, Thomas; Müller, Alexandra; Hermanutz, Frank; Buchmeiser, Michael R.
• Is Part Of: Journal of polymer science. Volume 52:Issue 9(2014:May)
• Page Start: 1322
• Page End: 1333
• Publication Date: 2014-02-12
• Subjects: carbon fibers -- copolymerization -- polyacrylonitrile -- Raman spectroscopy -- reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) -- WAXS; 547
• DOI: 10.1002/pola.27121
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0887-624X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Reversible‐addition fragmentation‐transfer (RAFT) polymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) was performed with 2‐(2‐cyano‐2‐propyl‐dodecyl)trithiocarbonate as RAFT agent and azobis(isobutyronitrile) as initiator. Linear polyacrylonitrile ( M n = 133, 000 g/mol, PDI = 1.34) was prepared within 7 h in 86% isolated yield. High‐yield copolymerization with methyl methacrylate (MMA) was performed and copolymerization parameters were determined according to Kelen and Tüdös at 90 °C in ethylene carbonate yielding r AN = 0.2 and r MMA = 0.42. The molecular weights, polydispersity indices (PDIs), and MMA content of the copolymer were adjusted in a way that precursor fibers could be prepared via wet spinning. These precursor fibers had round cross‐sections and a dense morphology, showing tenacities of 40–50 cN/tex and elastic moduli of 900–1000 cN/tex at a fineness of 1 dtex and an elongation of 13–17%. Precursor fibers were oxidatively stabilized and then carbonized at different temperatures. A maximum tensile strength of 2.5 GPa was reached at 1350 °C. Thermal analysis, infrared and Raman spectroscopy, wide‐angle X‐ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile testing were used to characterize the resulting carbon fibers. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014, 52, 1322–1333 Abstract : Reversible‐addition fragmentation‐transfer polymerization allows for the high‐yield copolymerization of acrylonitrile with methyl methacrylate (MMA). Molecular weights, polydispersity indices, and MMA content of the copolymer were adjusted in a way that precursor fibers could be prepared via wet spinning. These precursor fibers were oxidatively stabilized and carbonized at different temperatures. A maximum tensile strength of 2.5 GPa was reached at 1350 °C.