The rheological, mechanical and templating effects of graphene oxide nanosheets in filled gel spun polyacrylonitrile

Abstract

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) in dimethylformamide solution containing 0.25 or 1 wt% graphene oxide (GO) was gel spun to tapes. Scanning electron microscopy of tapes showed compact staircase cross-sections hallmarking the gel spun products. Low shear rate rheometry of the tape precursors revealed a viscosity increase, while the structural viscosity indexes of dispersions dropped to 40 and 70% at high shear rates by 0.25 and 1 wt% GO inclusion, respectively. Furthermore, the sol–gel transition temperature of PAN solution was enhanced by about 2.5 and 10 °C with 0.25 and 1 wt% GO inclusion, respectively. Strain sweep test implied a gel-to-sol transition from 9 to 28% by 1 wt% GO inclusion. The experimental reinforcement coefficient corresponded the aligned Halpin–Tsai model confirming the suitable dispersion preparation route namely master batch dilution implementing strong interphase formation among the PAN chains and GO platelets. Molecular evolution analysis during air stabilization through a combined second derivative of FTIR spectra, Gaussian peak fitting represented by Isd index, indicated the initial cyclization at 290 °C followed by its enhanced rate. Final Isd was noticed to be 48% higher for the tapes containing GO nanosheets. GO inclusion not only enhanced the tape heat of stabilizations but also differentiated its proportional Isd and toughness dependency based on the heat of stabilization.