Properties of films from polypropylene and thermotropic liquid crystallinepolymer blends

In this paper the effect of the inclusion of two different thermotropic liq uid crystalline polymers, namely Rodrun 3000 and Vectra A950, in a PP matri x is analyzed with particular attention to the gas transport and mechanical properties of the extruded blend films. The experiments, conducted on PP/R odrun 3000 and PP/Vectra A950 films, have shown that the presence of TLCPs, also at low percentages, modify the properties of the thermoplastic matrix in a manner depending on the degree of compatibility and interfacial adhes ion between the two components of the blends. Moreover. the effect of a mal eic anhydride grafted PP (MAP), used as compatibilizing agent, on the prope rties and morphology of the PP/Rodrun 3000 system was examined. It was foun d that the addition of the MAP determines an increase in the barrier proper ties and in toughness of the films compared to those without MAP.