Studies on Acrylonitrile-Hydrozyalkyl-Methacrylate Copolymer Fibers

Abstract

The effect cf wet spinning conditions on the properties of acrylonitrile-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (AN-HEMA) and acrylonitrile-2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (AN-HPMA) copolymer fibers were studied. Copolymers containing 1 to 4.8 mole% hydroxyalkylmethacrylate comonomer were synthesized by slurry polymerization using redox initiator. The spinning dope used was a 15% solution of polymer in dimethylformamide. The spinning conditions studied were: extrusion pressure, coagulating bath temperature, take-up velocity, and draw ratio. Low coagulating bath temperature and high draw ratio gave fiber with better strength properties. Sonic modulus and x-ray diffraction were used for study ing the molecular orientation and crystalline organization. The influence of hydrophilic comonomers in polyacrylonitrile on moisture sorption, dyeability, and tensile properties was considered.