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Stimuli Sensitive Behaviour of Modified Polyacrylonitrile Fibres

Manjeet Jassal (Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi -110016, India, )
Ashwini K. Agrawal (Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi -110016, India, )
Arnab K. Ghosh (Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi -110016, India)
K.R.T. Ramasubramani (Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi -110016, India)
Anasuya Sahoo (Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi -110016, India)

Research Journal of Textile and Apparel

ISSN: 1560-6074

Article publication date: 1 May 2006

30

Abstract

Polymeric fibres that have a unique capability to change their structure in response to small environmental changes such as pH, electrolyte and electric field are an attractive alternative for artificial muscles. Stimuli sensitive fibres were prepared by the modification of commercial polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibres. The modification was carried out in two steps: thermo-oxidation and hydrolysis. During the thermo-oxidation step, the crosslinks imparted through the pendant nitrile groups provided a stable structure. While in the subsequent saponification step, the uncrosslinked nitrile groups were converted to responsive carboxylic acid groups. The effect of stabilization parameters and saponification conditions on the structure, properties and swelling behaviour of these fibres was investigated. The fibres showed muscle like expanding and contracting behaviour stimulated by changes in pH of the environment.

Keywords

Citation

Jassal, M., Agrawal, A.K., Ghosh, A.K., Ramasubramani, K.R.T. and Sahoo, A. (2006), "Stimuli Sensitive Behaviour of Modified Polyacrylonitrile Fibres", Research Journal of Textile and Apparel, Vol. 10 No. 2, pp. 58-68. https://doi.org/10.1108/RJTA-10-02-2006-B007

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006 Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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