Polymers and Polymer Composites

SELF-REINFORCING COMPOSITES OF POLYACRYLIC ELASTOMERS AND LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMER: MECHANICAL, THERMAL, AND DYNAMIC MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

July 1, 2005 By: Shivakumar E; Das C K Research article

Title: SELF-REINFORCING COMPOSITES OF POLYACRYLIC ELASTOMERS AND LIQUID CRYSTALLINE POLYMER: MECHANICAL, THERMAL, AND DYNAMIC MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
Page Range: p.687-95
Author(s): Shivakumar E; Das C K
File size: 216K
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Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites
Issue Year: ppc
Volume: 13
Issue No: No. 7

Abstract
In order to study the effect of liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) as reinforcing agents for polyacrylic elastomers (ACM), blends of ACM and a liquid crystalline polymer were prepared using a melt mixing process. The blends were cured with ammonium benzoate and Diak-4,4,4′-methylenebis(cyclohexylamine) carbamate in order to study the curing behaviour of ACM in the presence of LCP. The blends were characterised by use of XRD, TGA, DSC and DMA, and an attempt was made to correlate the structures of the blends seen under scanning electron microscopy with the mechanical properties. Rheometric studies indicated the improved state and rate of cure of the blends with increasing levels of LCP and when Diak-4 was used as the curative. Tear strength and modulus of the ACM/LCP blends increased with increasing LCP content, and they increased at a higher rate in the presence of Diak-4. However, the tensile strength of all the blends reduced dramatically with increasing LCP which was attributed to poor interfacial adhesion between the ACM and LCP phases. The thermal stability of the ACM was affected by the presence of LCP, and the dynamic properties of the blends increased with LCP content. This improvement was reported to be very marked in the presence of Diak-4 curative. 21 refs.


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