SYNOPSISThe effects of composition and shear rate on the rheology and morphology of blends of LC-3000, a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer consisting of 60/40 of hydroxybenzoic acid and poly(ethy1ene terephthalate), with polypropylene were studied. It was found that the rheological properties depend in a complex manner on composition and applied shear. Both positive and negative deviations from the log-additivity rule were observed at low shear rates. Significant viscosity reduction was measured when the dispersed phase was a nematic TLCP. The accompanying microstructural transitions were characterized a posteriori, and it was found that the state of dispersion of the TLCP phase also influences the viscosity reduction phenomenon. A nematic, fibrillar TLCP phase shows a viscosity reduction of the order of fourfold with respect to the viscosity of the matrix. Another important finding was that the stability of these fibers would not be expected from work on other non-TLCPcontaining immiscible blends. This suggests that the unique rheology of the TLCP minor phase is relevant to the formation of stable fibers. 0 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.