Cw. Nam et al., Blend fibers of polyacrylonitrile and water-soluble chitosan derivative prepared from sodium thiocyanate solution, J APPL POLY, 82(7), 2001, pp. 1620-1629
A water-soluble chitosan derivative of N-(2-hydroxy)propyl-3-trimethylammon
ium chitosan chloride (HTCC), synthesized by the reaction of chitosan and g
lycidyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) were blende
d using 46% (w/w) NaSCN aqueous solution as a common solvent. The total pol
ymer concentration of blend solution was fixed at 12% (wAv), and the relati
ve composition of PAN/HTCC in the blend solution varied from 0/100 to 80/20
by weight. The PAN/HTCC blend fibers with the appropriate physical propert
y were prepared by a wet spinning and drawing process. The effect of HTCC c
ontent on the structural change, miscibility, and ability to be dyed of the
blend fibers was investigated. The optical and scanning electron microscop
ic observation gave no indication of phase separation up to 20% HTCC conten
t. Differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical measurements of
the blend fibers show single glass transition temperatures that increase w
ith increasing blend ratio of HTCC. All the experimental results exhibit th
at the blends are miscible on the molecular scale. The blend fibers could b
e dyed with an acid dye. This enhanced ability of the blend fibers to be dy
ed with acid dyes could be useful for one-step dyeing when mixed with other
fibers, such as wool and nylon. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.