Modification of polyacrylonitrile with ethylenedicarboxylic acid esters for preparing carbon fiber precursors

Abstract

Specific features of copolymerization of acrylonitrile with dimethyl maleate and dimethyl fumarate under the action of a catalytic system based on copper(I) bromide and tris[(2-pyridyl)methyl]amine were studied. The polymerization occurs in the controlled mode, with the molecular weight of the copolymers increasing with conversion. The formation of the copolymers was proved by NMR spectroscopy. Introduction of the comonomers smooths the exothermic effect observed in oxidative stabilization of the polyacrylonitrile precursor.