THERMOGRAVIMETRIC ANALYSIS OF BLENDS BASED ON NYLON-6 AND A THERMOTROPIC LIQUID-CRYSTAL COPOLYESTER

The thermal stabilities of blends between Nylon 6 and the liquid cryst al copolyester Vectra A were investigated by thermogravimetric analysi s under dynamic and isothermal conditions. The theoretical mass loss c urves were compared with the experimental ones in order to establish t he influence of blending on the thermal stabilities of the pure polyme rs. The characteristic degradation temperatures and the relative value s of the volatilized matter percentages were obtained from the dynamic curves, and the effect of the blend composition was analysed. The res ulting data, together with the analysis of the activation energies, de monstrated that blending has an important effect on the thermal stabil ity of Vectra A, which undergoes a considerable destabilization in the presence of Nylon 6.