• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.468-476
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• 2002

Oxy-PAN fiber prepared from the preoxidation and saponification of raw PAN fiber is known to elongate and contract when immersed in basic and acidic solutions, respectively. In this study, about 30% elongation in NaOH solution and 30∼50% contraction in HCl solution have been observed. In mechanical test, the mechanical properties of oxy-PAN fiber in the contracted state was stronger than that in the elongated state. These behaviors and mechanical properties are compared to those of living muscle and linear actuator. The change of length in NaOH and HCl solutions is due to switching between a hydrophilic and a hydrophobic structure. Other reasons are exchange of ion and water in/out of oxy-PAN fiber, and osmotic pressure difference associated with relevant ions. Much studies are needed to clarify the effective factors on but the oxy-PAN fiber's elongation/contraction behavior and mechanical properties, but the oxy-PAN fiber perpared in our laboratory has a sufficient potential for application as artificial muscle and linear actuator.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.492-500
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• 2002

Oxidized-polyacrylonitrile (oxy-PAN) was prepared by oxidation of PAN fiber at $240^{\circ}C$, followed by base catalyzed hydrolysis reaction. The chemical structure of PAN fiber in various pH conditions was characterized by $^{13}C-NMR$ spectroscopy. The characteristic contraction and expansion behavior of oxy -PAN fiber was observed in acidic and basic medium, respectively. In basic condition, water molecules might be absorbed into the fiber with the movement of charge balancing $Na^+$ ion, on the other hand, the water molecules seemed to be expelled in acidic condition to result in contraction. It was also observed that the facile chemical modification occurred due to free diffusion of aqueous reagent into the hydrophilic PAN fiber, and the morphology was affected by pH condition.