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Research Article
ScienceAsia 25 (1999) : 091-097 |doi: 10.2306/scienceasia1513-1874.1999.25.091
In-situ Composite Film of Thermotropic Liquid
Crystalline Polymer/Polypropylene: Effect of Film
Drawing on Molecular Orientation and Properties
Jareerat Samrana, Wiriya Meesirib, Sauvarop Bualek-Limcharoenc,* and Taweechai Amornsakchaic
ABSTRACT: A Blend of thermoplastic, polypropylene, with a thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer
(TLCP), copolyester comprising 60 mol% of p-hydroxybenzoic acid and 40 mol% ethylene terephthalate
was prepared, using a twin screw extruder. Polymer blend pellets were extruded through a microtruder
as thin films, using different draw ratios. Effect of film drawing on molecular orientation and properties
was investigated. The order parameter of liquid crystalline domain evaluated from polarized infrared
spectra was found to increase with increasing film draw ratio. Morphology of the film observed under
an optical microscope revealed increasing TLCP fibre aspect-ratio. Young’s modulus of the film measured
in the machine direction was found to increase significantly with increasing TLCP fibre aspect-ratio and
molecular ordering. Young’s modulus of TLCP fibres embedded in PP matrix was estimated using the
Halpin-Tsai equation and found to correlate linearly with the fibre aspect-ratio and the order parameter.
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a Department of Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Pattani 94000, Thailand.
b Directorate of Armament, Royal Thai Air Force, Donmuang, Bangkok 10210, Thailand.
c Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Rama 6 Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
* Corresponding author.
Received 5 Feb 1999
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