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Synthesis of a random copolymer and its compatibility for thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer/poly(ether ether ketone) blends
Author(s) -
Yang Yanhua,
Dai Xiaohui,
Zhang Limei,
Ma Rongtang,
Jiang Zhenhua
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.881
Subject(s) - materials science , thermotropic crystal , differential scanning calorimetry , glass transition , peek , dynamic mechanical analysis , polymer , polymer blend , miscibility , ultimate tensile strength , copolymer , ether , composite material , polymer chemistry , chemical engineering , organic chemistry , thermodynamics , liquid crystalline , chemistry , physics , engineering
Abstract A random copolymer (RCP) containing poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) and thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) segments was synthesized. Its chemical structure and liquid crystalline properties were characterized by FT‐IR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polar light microscopy (PLM) respectively. A single glass transition temperature ( T g ) at 134.0°C, a melting temperature ( T m ) at 282.0°C and a temperature of ignition ( T i ) at 331.3°C can be observed. Blends of PEEK and TLCP with and without RCP as compatibilizer were prepared by extrusion and the effect of RCP on the thermal properties, dynamic mechanical properties, morphology and static tensile mechanical properties of blends was investigated by means of DSC, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), etc. Dynamic mechanical measurements indicated that there appeared to be only a single tan δ peak resulting from the glass transition of the PEEK‐rich phase and the T g value shifted towards higher temperature due to the presence of compatibilizer, as suggested partial compatibility. Morphological investigations showed that the addition of RCP to binary blends reduced the dispersed phase size and improved the interfacial adhesion between the two phases. The ternary compatibilized blends showed enhanced tensile modulus compared to their binary blends without RCP. The strain at break decreased for the ternary blends due to embrittlement of the matrix by the incorporation of some RCP to the matrix phase. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.