Gel‐spun polyacrylonitrile fiber from pregelled spinning solution

Abstract Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibers have been gel spun from pregelled PAN spinning solution. The pregelled solution had network structure with elevated spinnability, the as‐spun fiber from which had more circular cross‐section and reduced skin‐core difference. Drawing was more effective in inducing the segmental orientation and crystallization in gel‐spun fiber than in dry–wet spun fiber. The mechanical properties of the gel‐spun fiber were better than those of the dry–wet spun fiber after multi‐stage drawing. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers