Synthesis, Characterization and Properties of Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) Fibers

From polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based fiber, carbon fiber is usually made by going through three controlled processes: stabilization, carbonization, and graphitization. In this study, polyacrylonitrile was synthesized by a free radical polymerization at room temperature and characterized by FTIR, and the viscosity average molecular weight was calculated. Then PAN powder was converted to fibers by the electrospinning process, and heat treatment of PAN fiber was done at 280 °C under atmospheric air and at 800 °C under nitrogen atmosphere. The result showed that the stabilized PAN fibers (SPAN) changed in color and the mechanical strength was greater than that of unstabilized PAN fibers (30.4 °C for SPAN and 26.6 °C for unstabilized PAN). The thermal study evaluation was achieved by using TGA and DSC techniques, and the results showed that the SPAN was more thermally stable than PAN fiber. Also, the DSC study has shown that the PAN fiber was melted at 337 °C, while the SPAN was not melted.