Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) is a semicrystalline polymer with high polarity and is usually processed from solutions. Selected solvents for processing influence both the structure and properties of PAN products. We describe the interactions between PAN and various solvents by theoretical calculation based on density functional theories (DFT), and by experimental methods of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and two-dimensional infrared (2D-IR) correlation analysis. The selected solvents include dimethyl sulfone (DMSO2), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethylene carbonate (EC), propylene carbonate (PC), N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF), and N,N-dimethyl acetamide (DMAc). Calculation results show that the PAN model monomer (PAN') interacts with each solvent through dipole-dipole interaction and formed PAN'-solvent complexes. Each complex displays an antiparallel alignment of interacting pair between the C≡N group of PAN' and the polar group of solvent molecule (S═O or C═O group). The calculated binding energies (ΔE) reveal that PAN' preferentially interacts with solvent in the order of DMSO2 > DMSO > EC > PC > DMF > DMAc. Red shifts of vibration frequencies are observed for C≡N, S═O, and C═O stretching bands. The C≡N stretching band shifts from 2245 cm(-1) in PAN to 2240, 2242, and 2241 cm(-1) in PAN-DMSO, PAN-EC, and PAN-DMF mixtures, respectively, indicating the existence of PAN-solvent interactions. Moreover, 2D-IR correlation analysis shows that as the PAN content increases, DMSO molecules vary prior to PAN-DMSO complexes, and change earlier than PAN bulk. However, PAN-EC and PAN-DMF mixtures follow the order of PAN bulk > PAN-solvent complexes > solvent molecules. This combination of theoretical simulation and experimental characterization is useful in selection of solvents for PAN or even other polar polymers and can provide an insight into the physical behavior of PAN-solvent complexes.

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