Effects of Polymerization and Spinning Conditions on Mechanical Properties of PAN Precursor Fibers

PAN precursor fibers were produced via wet-spinning process, and effects of polymerization and spinning processes, especially the stretching process, were investigated on mechanical properties and micro-morphologies of precursor fibers. An increase in molecular weight, dope solid and densification and a decrease in surface defects were possible by controlling polymerization temperature, the number of heating rollers for densification and the jet stretch ratio, which improved the mechanical properties of precursor fibers. The curves for strength, modulus, tensile power and diameter as a function of stretch ratio can be divided into three stages: steady change area, little change area and sudden change area. With the increase of stretch ratio, the fiber diameter became smaller, the degree of crystallization increased and the structure of precursor fibers became compact and homogeneous, which resulted in the increase of strength, modulus and tensile power of precursor fibers. Empirical relationship between fiber strength and stretch ratio was studied by using the sub-cluster statistical theory. It was successfully predicted when the strengths were 0.8 GPa and 1.0 GPa under a certain technical condition, the corresponding stretch ratio of the fiber were 11.16 and 12.83 respectively.