A comparative study of thermotropic LCP and organoclay as fillers in high molecular mass polyethylene with different blending sequences

Abstract

The influences of thermotropic liquid crystalline copolyester (TLCP) on viscosity reduction in high molecular mass polyethylene (HMMPE) filled with organoclay were investigated by controlling the blending sequence. The interactions between organoclay and TLCP in HMMPE create different morphologies and influence rheological properties of the clay/TLCP/HMMPE blends. When the organoclay was blended with TLCP first, large amounts of organoclay formed partially intercalated structures in TLCP, with phase separation occurring at the temperature when TLCP was in the nematic phase, corresponding an antagonistic effect which weakens viscosity reduction ability of TLCP for HMMPE. However, with first blending of TLCP with HMMPE and then adding organoclay into the blend, most of the organoclay enriched on TLCP surfaces in the blend. Such interaction prevents TLCP droplets from coalescing at high shear stresses, enlarging the processing window. A phenomenological model, originally for HMMPE/TLCP systems, was successfully adopted to predict the flow behaviors of clay/HMMPE/TLCP blends. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 50:1679–1688, 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers

Effects of liquid crystal polymer and organoclay addition on the physical properties of high‐density polyethylene films

“…They reported that the presence of hydrophobic silica at the interface of PP/LCP blend resulted in smaller droplet size and higher elasticity in blends compared to hydrophilic silica. Tang et al compared the effects of different blending sequences on the rheological properties of organoclay (org‐clay)/TLCP/high molecular mass polyethylene blends .…”