Influence of drawing down on the properties of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer/polyether sulfone composites

The mechanical, morphological, and thermal properties of composites consisting of a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) as reinforcing phase in a polyether sulfone (PES) as matrix were investigated. The elastic modulus and tensile strength along the drawing down direction rise with draw down ratio, keeping all other parameters constant. This is attributed to the fibrillation of the TLCP phase in the blend and enhanced orientation of TLCP chains along the drawing down direction during drawing. The fusion heat of the TLCP phase increases continuously with draw draw ratio, while the cryslal-neGmatic transition temperature, T_m, and glass transition temperature, T_g. of the PES matrix are unaffected.