ISSN:
0887-6266
Keywords:
thermotropics
;
dynamic viscoelasticity
;
relaxation peaks
;
gelation
;
crystallization
;
Physics
;
Polymer and Materials Science
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Physics
Notes:
The rheological characterization of two commercial thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers based on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and para-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHB) is carried out. The thermal transitions determined by DMTA are explained by the random character of these copolyesters, in comparison with non-random copolyesters synthesized by Jackson and Kuhfuss. The evolution of the dynamic viscoelastic functions with time in the nematic state is concave in shape for the 20%PET/80%PHB copolymer, a result that leads us to treat this system as a suspension of solid spheres (unmolten crystals) where the volume fraction of crystals increases with time according to an Avrami equation. The response of 40%PET/60%PHB copolymer is similar to a chemical or physical gelation and the hypothesis that the polydomain structure gives rise to a network is considered. Continuous flow, time-independent viscosity results reveal the existence of a three-region flow curve for 40%PET/60%PHB copolymer, but a Newtonian zone followed by a shear thinning region for 20%PET/80%PHB sample. At high temperatures the isotropization of the samples leads to a very strong decrease of the activation energy of flow, which becomes zero for 40%PET/60%PHB. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 253-263, 1998
Additional Material:
10 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
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