Effects of recycling on morphology and mechanical properties of a semi-aromatic Rodrun LC-5000 liquid crystalline polymer

In this work, a virgin Rodrun LC-5000 liquid crystalline polymer was recycl ed several times by an injection moulding process. The results showed that there is a significant decrease in the Young's modulus and the tensile stre ngth after the recycling operation, while there is almost no change in the tensile strain. A power law relationship was established between the melt f low rate of the recycled resin and the number of recycling stages. The char acteristic three-layer, skin-transition-core structure of the injection mou lded specimens was also found to be altered by the number of recycling stag es. (C) 2000 Society of Chemical Industry.