A NOVEL TLCP BLENDED WITH PET AND PC MATRICES

This investigation focused on the potential of improving the performan ce of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and polycarbonate (PC) fibers by incorporating a novel thermotropic liquid crystalline copolymer (T LCP). The degree of mechanical enhancement obtained in the fibers inco rporating 20 wt % TLCP depended upon the chosen matrix material and th e processing conditions. The PET matrix systems did not exhibit any mo dulus improvements until after posttreatment of the fibers. Following posttreatment, the blends exhibited a modulus of 24 GPa, an increase o f 40% compared to the PET control fiber. The PC systems exhibited a 1 GPa modulus increase in the as-spun fiber blends, but improvement was negligible after fiber posttreatment. The morphologies of the as-spun and posttreated fibers suggest that different mechanisms of reinforcem ent are occurring depending upon the matrix material selected. (C) 199 4 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.