ABSTRACT
Polymer blends containing a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) have received considerable attention in the past years. By blending TLCP with some thermoplastic (TP) resins, significant self-reinforcement is obtained in tensile strength, flex strength, and modulus. In addition, the processing is considerably easier. This is in contrast to the traditional chopped glass composites, which are more difficult to process than the base matrix resins and can lead to problems because of the abrasive nature of the filler (e.g., machine wear, process drift, and contamination of the polymer). The detriment is, however, a reduction in the elongation to break and, in some cases, poorer weldline performance.
