Stabilization of PAN Nanofibers Using Electron Beam Irradiation and Thermal Compression Technique

전자선 조사와 열압축공정을 이용한 PAN 나노섬유의 안정화 및 특성분석

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fibers have been widely used due to their unique chemical, electrical, and mechanical properties. Electron beam irradiation has been extensively employed as means of altering properties of polymeric materials. Electron beam irradiation can induce chemical reactions in materials without any catalyst. Electron beam irradiation may be useful in accelerating the thermal compression stabilization of PAN nanofibers. To investigate the irradiation effect on PAN fibers, PAN nanofibers were irradiated by electron beam at 1,000~5,000 kGy. Irradiated and non-irradiated PAN nanofibers were heated at 180 and $220^{\circ}C$ without applying pressure for 15 min. Then 1 metric ton has been applied for 5 min. SEM images have been found that the fiber kept its morphological behavior after the hot pressing up to electron beam irradiated 1,000 kGy. DSC thermograms showed that the peak temperatures of the exothermic reactions were found to decrease with increasing electron beam irradiation doses and temperature. FT-IR spectra have been found to decrease $C{\equiv}N$ stretch band with increasing the electron beam irradiation dose. These results indicate that the modification of PAN via reactions such as cyclization is significantly enhanced by electron beam irradiation and thermal compression technique.