ISSN:
0032-3888
Keywords:
Chemistry
;
Chemical Engineering
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Production Engineering, Mining and Metallurgy, Traffic Engineering, Precision Mechanics
,
Physics
Notes:
Blends of an engineering thermoplastic, poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and two liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) viz., copolyesters of PET and parahydrox-ybenzoic acid (PHB) in 40/60 mole percent (LCP60) and in 20/80 mole percent (LCP80) were prepared. A blend of LCP60 and LCP80 in 50/50 weight percent (LCP60-80) was blended with PET. Both flat films and rods were extruded and their properties examined. The morphology of the films investigated using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) revealed that the LCP phase remained as dispersed droplets in the PET matrix. In spite of the lack of fibrillation in these films, the mechanical properties were enhanced to some extent with a maximum at 10 weight percent of the LCP phase. However, in the case of the rods thin fibrils of the LCP phase of the order of 1 μm in diameter were observed provided the composition of the LCP was 20 weight percent or greater. This success In achieving fibrillation is through to be due to the extensional flow fields present at the entrance of the capillary die and the fact that a short L/D ratio die was used. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) thermograms of the extruded films indicated that the LCP phase may act as a nucleating agent for the crystallization of PET. Rheology of the blends revealed that the complex viscosity of the blends is not much different from that of pure PET. This is attributed to the partial miscibility of the two components. Based on the DSC results and residence times in the extruder, it is concluded that no significant transesterification reactions appear to have: taken place in the blends. The rheology is studied further with respect to the cooling behavior of the pure components and factors important to the fibrillation of the LCP phase and the formation of in-situ reinforced composites are discussed.
Additional Material:
7 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/pen.760300904
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