Microwave Assisted Synthesis of Polyacrylonitrile/Ferrite Nanocomposites

A microwave (MW) assisted green process to synthesize nanomagnetic polymer composites (NPCs) based on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) has been developed. The process involves 2,2-azobisisobutyronitrile initiated in-situ polymerization of acrylonitrile in presence of tween -20 stabilized ferrite nanoparticles (FNPs) under MW irradiation ranging 25 to 100 Watt over 10min. With MW power, the polymerization reaction has been progressed resulting in NPCs with enhanced rheoviscosity and yield over PAN. The formation of NPCs has been ascertained through Fourier transformed infra-red spectra, X ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy .Vibrating sample magnetometry and simultaneous thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis-differential thermogravimetry reveals the formation of thermally stable NPCs with saturation magnetization 70.0 emu/g.