0000000000113705
AUTHOR
U. Pedretti
Characterization of blends of polypropylene with a semirigid liquid-crystal copolyester
Abstract Blends with a liquid-crystal polymers (LCP) as one component show, in general, very interesting properties. Reduction of shear viscosity and improvement of mechanical properties are very remarkable. High melting temperatures and high costs of the LCP limit the use of these blends. A new class of thermotropic LCPs with flexible spaces, with relatively low melting temperatures, can overcome the first problem. In this work, rheological and mechanical properties of blends of polypropylene with low contents of this LCP are presented. Torque during extrusion and viscosity decrease with LCP content. Elastic modulus is remarkably increased when the LCP phase is oriented.
Characterization of a fiber-reinforced new fully aromatic liquid crystalline polymer
A new rigid liquid crystalline polymer that demonstrates good mechanical and thermomechanical properties and acceptable processing temperature has been recently synthesized and characterized. The melting temperature and some thermomechanical properties do not seem, however, suitable for use in some applications at high temperature or in the presence of aggressive fluids. The use of appropriate inorganic fillers can overcome these shortcomings. In this work the new LCP, polymerized in a bench-scale apparatus, and the same sample filled with carbon fibers are characterized. The properties of the carbon fiber filled LCP are compared with those of another filled wholly aromatic commercial LCP,…
Synthesis and Characterization of a New Fully Aromatic LCP
Abstract Liquid crystal polymers (LCP)are a relatively new class of polymers with very interesting and unusual properties. In particular, easy processability and outstanding mechanical and barrier properties make them very attractive. Unfortunately the high stiffness of their chains often leads to compounds having very high melting points and consequently to unprocessable materials. By adding a flexible segments in the chain backbone the LCPs become processable at lower temperatures but lower properties are displayed. A new rigid liquid crystalline polymer, having excellent physical properties, good processing temperature and a good cost/performance compromise, is described in this work. Th…
Synthesis, properties and processability of a new class of semirigid liquid crystalline copolyesteramides
Abstract A new family of semirigid main chain liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs), referred to as SBAN, characterized by fairly good processability and mechanical properties, and improved thermal resistance, have been synthesized by the melt polycondensation of sebacic acid (S), 4,4′-dihyhxybiphenyl (B), 4-aminobenzoic acid (A), and 2-hydroxy-6-naphthoic acid (N), in a wide range of compositions. The molar concentration of the A ahd N units, in these LCPs must be kept lower than ca 40 and 60%, respectively, in order to avoid the formation of homopolymeric blocks, which impair spinnability. The presence of A units grants the formation of hydrogen bonds between neighboring macromolecules, and …
Processing and characterization of blends of fluoroelastomers with semirigid liquid crystal polymers
Fluoroelastomers (FEs) usually have working temperatures above 150°C and a great resistance to aggressive agents such as oils, fuels, aliphatic and aromatic solvents, steam, moderate acid, and basic environments. Liquid crystal polymers (LCPs) can be effective processing aids and reinforcing agents for elastomers. These characteristics are very attractive to lower melt viscosity and to stiffen and strengthen the final product through a simple blending. Among the LCPs, the semirigid LCPs seem the most appealing for blending with flexible thermoplastics (FTs) because their processing temperatures can be arranged to be in the same processing temperature range of FTs and because the presence of…
Morphology and properties of blends of polyethylene with a semiflexible liquid crystalline polymer
Blends of three polyethylene (PE) samples (two HDPE grades and LLDPE) with an experimental sample of a semiflexible liquid crystalline polymer (SBH 1 :1 :2 by Eniricerche) have been prepared in a Brabender compounder. The processing-aid effect of the LCP has been demonstrated by the decreased energy required for extruding the blends, as compared to that needed for neat PE. The thermal properties, as studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), have shown that the two components of the blends are immiscible. However, the dispersed SBH phase has been found to act as a nucleating agent for the crystallization of LLDPE, whereas no such effect was observed for HDPE. This has been taken as…
Melt spinning and mechanical properties of semirigid liquid-crystal copolyesters
Melt-spinning and mechanical properties of fibers of a new class of semirigid thermotropic liquid-crystal polymers are presented. These copolyesters are synthesized from 4-4′-dihydroxybiphenyl (B), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (H), and flexible units provided by aliphatic diacids. The flexible units depress the melting temperature without strongly depressing the mechanical properties. These liquid-crystal polymers can be easily spun at high draw ratios. Indeed, unlike rigid liquid-crystal polymers, relatively high draw ratios are needed to attain high mechanical strength. Tensile moduli of about 28 GPa and tensile strengths of about 350 MPa are obtained. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Effects of filler type and mixing method on the physical properties of a reinforced semirigid liquid crystal polymer
Semirigid liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) show some advantages with respect to rigid LCP: in particular lower processing temperatures, better compatibility with flexible thermoplastics, but also some disadvantages. Thermal resistance of rigid LCPs is much better and the maximum working temperature is, in general, very high. The thermomechanical properties can be improved by adding inorganic fillers. In this work processing, mechanical and thermomechanical properties of a filled semirigid liquid crystal copolyester are reported. Several inorganic fillers have been used in order to put in evidence the influence of shape and dimensions of the particles on the properties of the filled materi…
Synthesis and Characterization of a New Class of Fully Aromatic Liquid Crystal Polymers
Abstract A new fully aromatic LCP, obtained by polycondensation of N-(4-carboxyphenyl) trimellitimide and tert-butyl hydroquinone (FAPT), was previously described. The polymer shows very interesting physical and mechanical properties but a very high glass transition temperature which does not allow a good processability. In order to overcome this problem, a new class of LCPs, obtained by partial substitution of the dicarboxylic moiety with isophthalic acid, is described. The new thermoplastic materials were characterized from the physicochemical and mechanical point of view. All the polymers obtained with an isophthalic acid (FA-IA) content varying from 10 to 40% of the substituted moiety s…
Rheological behavior of a semirigid liquid crystal polymer
The rheological behavior of liquid crystal polymers is still far from completely clarified from both experimental and theoretical points of view. In this paper, the shear flow and the non-isothermal elongation flow behavior of a semi-rigid liquid crystal copolyester is discussed. The viscosity strongly decreases when the test temperature is increased above the crystal-nematic transition temperature; below this temperature the viscosity is very high. The thermal history strongly affects the shear viscosity. The elongational flow behavior depends also on temperature. Above the crystal-nematic transition temperature and the mesophase is easily spinnable, whereas below this temperature, the spi…