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Self‐reinforced polypropylene/LCP prepregs and laminates
Author(s) -
Liang Y. C.,
Isayev A. I.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.10471
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , thermotropic crystal , polypropylene , ultimate tensile strength , isotropy , polymer , morphology (biology) , liquid crystalline , physics , quantum mechanics , biology , genetics
Polypropylenes (PPs) of various molecular weights were mixed with a thermotropic liquid crystal polymer (LCP) to prepare unidirectional sheets (prepregs), quasi‐isotropic and unidirectional laminates. The mechanical properties and the morphology of the prepregs and the laminates at 0° and 90° with respect to the machine direction were investigated as a function of draw ratio, LCP concentration and molecular weight of the PP. The results for prepregs and laminates showed that both drawing and LCP concentration generally enhanced modulus and tensile strength in machine direction. The morphology of LCP changed from spherical or ellipsoidal droplets to elongated fibrils as the draw ratio increased. The diameter of LCP fibrils decreased with increasing molecular weight of the PP matrix, indicating more effective droplet breakup and better mixing in the case of high molecular weight PP.