Unusual rheological effects observed in polyacrylonitrile solutions

Unusual rheological effects have been revealed during the deformation of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solutions in DMSO. The effects are observed during the study of rheological properties in a wide range of PAN concentrations and are explained by the structuring occurring at low polymer concentrations. At concentrations of at most 0.1%, the solutions exhibit the behavior of soft gels, which are characterized by yield stresses and frequency-independent storage moduli. As concentration is increased, both effects gradually vanish and the solutions are almost transformed into Newtonian liquids. The results have been explained by the formation of a supramolecular spatial structure at low polymer concentrations. As concentration is increased, the role of structuring is suppressed by the formation of a network of intermacromolecular entanglements. The ability of dilute PAN solutions to exist in two states, i.e., with destroyed structuring and in the form of a physical polymer gel, leads to stress self-oscillations and thixotropic effects. The addition of a precipitant (water) to the PAN-DMSO solutions leads to the formation of a gel throughout the concentration range.