Infrared reflection‐absorption spectroscopy of polyacrylonitrile on copper and aluminium surfaces

Abstract

AbstractInfrared reflection‐absorption spectroscopy has been used to study the chemical structure of thin films of pyrolyzed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) on copper and aluminium surfaces. The formation of a conjugated CCC backbone occurs at temperatures as low as 200°C for PAN on copper, whereas the same reaction on aluminium requires pyrolysis at 300°C in order to be completed. These temperatures are, respectively, about 200 and 100°C lower than those previously reported for bulk PAN. Pyrolysis of PAN on copper at 200°C also results in diffusion of copper atoms (ions) into the polymer network followed by Cu(I)N°C complexing. Conclusive evidence is obtained for end‐on coordination through nitrogen lone pair orbitals of the CN groups. We propose a chemical structure of PAN on copper that is different to that in the bulk and on aluminium.