Phase structure and deformation behavior of polyester blends

The supermolecular structure, deformation behavior and tensile properties w ere studied for the blends of a high molecular weight (HMW) poly(ethylene 2 ,6-naphthalate) (PEN) and a commercially available low molecular weight (LM W) PEN. The HMW with an intrinsic viscosity (IV) of 3.30 dl/g was obtained by solid-state polymerization of the LMW with IV of 0.65 dl/g. The mixture of HMW and LMW prepared by a freeze-dried method from the polymer solutions showed two T-g(s), independent of the blend ratio. These T-g(s) correspond ed to those for the HMW and the LMW. After melting or even annealing above the T-g of HMW, these blends showed a single T-g, which was dependent on th e blend ratio. The deformation behavior of the blends and the tensile prope rties of the resultant drawn films were greatly affected by the draw temper ature (T-d). For the drawing above the T-g of HMW (T-d = 150 degreesC), the LMW behaved as a plasticizer of the HMW. In that case, the draw efficiency evaluated from the Young's modulus of the samples increased systematically with increasing the fraction of HMW in the blends. For the drawing around the T-g of LMW (T-d = 120 degreesC), the deformation behavior and tensile p roperties of the resultant drawn films were primarily governed by those for the component polymer with higher fractions in the blends. The results wer e discussed in connection with the phase structure of the blends. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.