Synthesis and Characterization of Poly[ 2, 2- （m-phenylene） -5, 5-bibenzimidazole ] in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium Chloride

Poly[2,2-(m-phenylene)-5,5-bibenzimidazole](mPBI)were synthesized by mixing 3,3’,4,4’-tetraaminobiphenyl and isophthalic acid in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride([BMIM]Cl).Intrinsic viscosity of mPBI polymers was 0.67 dL/g which was measured in 96%sulfuric acid.The polymer was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),nuclear magnetic resonance(1H-NMR),and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA).The effects of polymerization conditions on the intrinsic viscosity of mPBI were investigated.It showed that the molecular weight of polymer mainly depended on pre-reaction time and reaction temperature.Comparison of structure and properties of mPBI synthesized in ionic liquids(ILs)and polyphosphoric acid was also reported.It indicates that the ionic liquids are a kind of good solvents in synthesis process of mPBI and ionic liquids mainly affect molecular weight of mPBI.     

Alignment of Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes in Polyacrylonitrile Fibers by Mechanical Drawing

Polyacrylonitrile(PAN)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes(MWNTs)nanocomposites were prepared by an in-situ polymerization method and the fibers from these composites were obtained by a wet-spinning process.The orientation behavior of MWNTs in the PAN fibers was investigated by X-ray diffraction and sound velocity methods.The dispersion and the alignment of the nanotubes were also studied by scanning electron microscopy.