Abstract
A liquid crystalline polymer (LCP), Rodrun LC-5000, which is a semi-aromatic copolyester based on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and 80 mol% of p-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHB), was successfully blended with a commercial PBT/PC/IM alloy using a twin-screw extruder. A heat stabilizer was added to the pellet mixtures before extrusion to prevent thermal degradation of the polymer components, and stablise the rheology of the polymer blend during processing. The tensile results for the extruded strands indicate that the mechanical properties are enhanced by adding the LCP to the PBT/PC/IM alloy. Also these properties are improved and depend largely on the concentration of the heat stabilizer. The morphology of the PBT/PC/IM/LCP blends and the compatibility of the blend were investigated using polarised light microscopy on a hot-stage. The relationships between the morphologies of the blends, LCP concentration, heat stabilizer concentration and the mechanical properties are discussed. The heat stabilizer not only controls the dispersion process of the LCP domains in the PBT/PC/IM matrix but also promotes the LCP fibrillation process. Good compatibility is observed at the matrix/LCP interface. The morphology of the PBT/PC/IM base blend is found to be modified by the extrusion process, with aligned fibres in the matrix phase.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 63-70 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Key Engineering Materials |
| Volume | 137 |
| Publication status | Published - 1998 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- LCP Blend
- Morphology
- Reinforcement
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Materials Science
- Mechanics of Materials
- Mechanical Engineering