Controlled architectures of poly(acrylonitrile-co-itaconic acid) for efficient structural transformation into carbon materials

Architectures of poly(acrylonitrile-co-itaconic acid)s (PAIs) were tailored to optimize their structural characteristics as carbon precursor materials. Copolymers exhibiting a random distribution of itaconic acid (IA) along the polymer chain were prepared through free radical polymerization. A regular distribution of IA in the PAI chain was achieved through the continuous addition of IA during polymerization, which compensated for the preferential consumption of IA. PAIs exhibiting block copolymer architectures, in which IA was located in one block, were also prepared by controlled/“living” radical polymerization techniques, in particular by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. The arrangements of IA in the PAIs significantly affected the crystallite size of the PAIs. During thermal oxidative stabilization (TOS), the PAIs exhibiting regular and block architectures demonstrated superior oxygen uptake capabilities compared with the randomly structured PAIs, suggesting an enhanced efficiency in the structural evolution of the PAIs into carbon materials. The PAIs exhibiting block architectures also displayed the largest graphite crystal sizes upon subsequent carbonization, resulting in superior electronic conductivity. The carbon materials produced through a more efficient TOS and carbonization of the structurally tailored PAIs are promising materials for new applications in the field of advanced carbon technology.