MICROSTRUCTURE FORMATION IN EXTRUDED AND DRAWN POLYBLENDS OF PC WITH A THERMOTROPIC LCP

Melt blending, extrusion and drawing of polycarbonate (PC) blends containing a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) are reported for a copolyester PCDT synthesised in this laboratory. A single screw extruder is used at four temperatures. The rheology of the PCDT/PC blend, PCDT and PC was measured by means of a capillary rheometer at these temperatures. The morphology of extruded and subsequently drawn strands was studied with the help of a scanning electron microscope and analysed. In PCDT/PC extruded strands, the morphology of the PCDT dispersed phase, changes from spherical through ellipsoidal to elongated with decreasing processing temperature. In contrast to this, in drawn strands with a d-aw ratio of 10, the morphology of the PCDT changes from ellipsoidal through elongated to fibrillar with increasing processing temperature. It is believed that the relative viscosity of the two phases is the decisive factor determining the microstructure formation of polymer blends containing thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers. Fibril formation is related to the deformation and coalescence of PCDT melt droplets by the drawing at higher temperatures.