Controlled preparation and chemical actuation of polyacrylonitrile fibers

Abstract

Pure polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers with diameter size at micrometric scale were obtained and collected radially using an immersion-jet wet spinning .system. This technique is a fast and easy approach to fabricate micrometric PAN fibers. The diameter of the fiber can be easily controlled by adjusting the size of the spinneret. Uniform, smooth and continuous PAN microfibers were suitable modified by thermal stabilization and alkaline saponification to obtain pH-sensitive fibers. The effect of diameter size fiber on the chemical actuation behavior was investigated in terms of length change characteristics under the influence of pH solution. The microfibers showed expanding/contracting behavior and force generation stimulated by changes in the environment pH. The fibers structural and chemical properties were characterized using the FT-IR spectroscopy and SEM microscopy techniques.