The processing and mechanical properties of in-situ thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer composite materials

Abstract By blending the thermoplastics (TPs): polycarbonate (PC) and polyethersulfone (PES) with thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers (TLCPs): KU9221 and KU9231, and then extruding the blends to form fibers, the in-situ reinforcing characteristics were studied. The injection experiment of blends was compared with the extrusion experiment. According to the experimental results, in-situ reinforcing characteristics of these processes were analyzed in theory. These researches have come to some important conclusions. TLCP domains can be transformed to form fibers and orientated in the direction of shear flowing during processing, these TLCP microfibers result in improved mechanical properties of the TP/TLCP blends. The extruding flow is easier to orientate TLCP domains and results in better in-situ reinforcement than that of injection moulding, and the extruded fibers have better mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of the blend fibers are improved with increasing tensile ratio of melt drawing...