Characterization of Microfibrillar Reinforced Composites from Polymer Blends

Manufacturing and Characterization of Microfibrillar Reinforced Composites from Polymer Blends 

University of Sofia, Laboratory on Polymers, Sofia, Bulgaria 

Institut far Verbundwerkstoffe GmbH (Institutefor Composite Materials), Kaiserslautern University 

The processing of an immiscible or incompatible polymer pair in which the dispersed phase forms in situ reinforcing fibrils can result in an appropriate morphology and improvement in the mechanical properties. This can be achieved by blending thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers (TLCP) with thermoplastics. These blends are often referred to as in situ composites because in the flow fields that occur during polymer processing operations, e.g., in the advancing melt front 

Unfortunately, the LCPs are often too expensive for general engineering applications. On the other hand, there are considerable supplies of engeneering plastics in the form of post-consumer scraps, which are a low cost source of raw materials for polymer blends. However, unlike LCPs, the molecules of common thermoplastics relax during melt processing therefore a good molecular orientation is almost impossible. 

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Evstatiev M, Fakirov S and Friedrich K (2005) Manufacturing and characterization of microfibrillar reinforced composites from polymer blends, in Polymer Composites Prom Nano- to Macroscale (Eds. Friedrich K, Fakirov S and Zhang Z) Springer, New York, NY, pp. 149-167. 

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