Micromorphological structure and its forming mechanisms of polyacrylonitrile-based copper gradient composite film

In this article, the micromorphological structure of polyacrylonitrile-copp er gradient composite film obtained from the electrochemical reduction of a swelling cathode film was investigated with a scanning electronic microsco pe and a transmittance electronic microscope. It was found that the micromo rphological structure in deposited phase is constructed with copper particl es and sheaves of polyacrylonitrile chains. The diameters of both the coppe r particles and the sheaves of macromolecules are about 50 nm. Thus the ide a of the interpenetration between polymeric matrix and deposited metal is s uggested. Under the enhanced power voltage and the reactor temperature, the maximums of current in the loop of reaction system shift to lower electroc hemical reaction time. That means the higher value of them makes the higher activity in the two aspects of ion move and ion reduction in swelling cath ode film. The dissolving experiment of gradient composite film showed that it does not dissolve in N,N-dimethylformamide, and this further confirmed t he interpenetration between the polymer matrix and the deposited copper. (C ) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.