IR and X-ray characterization of the ferromagnetic phase of pyrolysed polyacrylonitrile

The polymer was prepared by gamma-ray induced polymerization in air and pyr olysis under argon at various temperatures in the range 600-900 degrees C. The content in the carbon and oxygen increases at the expense of decreasing content in nitrogen and hydrogen. The ferromagnetic phase separated from t he residue resulted by the pyrolysis of polyacrylonitrile has been analysed using Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis . The experimental data suggest a layered structure of this polymer with an interlayer spacing of ca 3.5 Angstrom and various chemical functions graft ed on graphite domains. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.