Rheological behaviors of polyacrylonitrile/1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride concentrated solutions

One of the room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM]Cl) was chosen to prepare the concentrated solutions of Polyacrylonitrile (PAN). The rheological behaviors of the solutions were measured with rotational rheometry under different conditions, including temperatures, concentration, and molecular weight of PAN. The solutions exhibited shear-thinning behaviors, similar to that of PAN/DMF solutions. The viscosities decreased with the increasing of shear rates. However, the viscosity decreased sharply at high shear rates when the concentration was up to 16wt%. The dependence of the viscosity on temperature was analyzed through the determination of the apparent activation energy. Unusually, the viscosity of solutions of higher concentration is lower than that of lower concentration. Similarly, the viscosity of low molecular weight PAN was higher than high molecular weight PAN at high shear rates. The dynamic rheological measurement indicates the loss modulus is much higher than storage modulus. The trend of complex viscosity is similar with the result of static rheological measurement. The interaction between PAN and ionic liquid [BMIM] Cl was discussed.