Abstract: Solutions of polymers or copolymers containing up to 100% of acrylonitrile units and from 0 to 50 mol percent of units of one or more comonomers copolymerizable with acrylonitrile into nitric acid-soluble polymers is wet spun in a coagulating bath containing a constant surplus of neutralizing agents in an amount ranging from about 0.05 to about 5% by weight which neutralizing agents are sufficient to convert the nitric acid into nitrates and to make the filaments leaving the coagulating bath free of nitric acid. The coagulating bath is maintained at a temperature at least about 5.degree. C above the temperature at which the solution of the same concentration is saturated with respect to its nitrate content.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of preparing hydrophilic copolymers of acrylonitrile by initially polymerizing acrylonitrile with about 0.01 to about 30% by weight of a monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylamide; methacrylamide; monomers of the formula CH.sub.2 =CRCONHR.sup.1 wherein R is hydrogen or methyl and R.sup.1 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; N,N-dialkylacrylamides and methacrylamides and N-alkylol amides, thereafter subjecting said copolymer to hydrolysis by an aqueous acidic solvent for the monomers or swelling agent for the polymer comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, formic acid, zinc chloride and zinc chloride/HCl mixtures and subsequent isolating the product thus formed by removal of the acidic hydrolytic agent therefrom.