Reinforcing Effect of Compatibilizers Containing Oxazoline Groups in Liquid Crystalline Polymer/Polypropylene Blending Material.

The effects of compounds containing oxazoline groups and the presence of maleic anhydridegrafted polypropylene (PP-g-MAH) on the spectral, morphological, and tensile properties of polypropylene (PP)/liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) blends were investigated. A wholly aromatic LCP having a low melting point which was copolyester, namely AL-7000 have been used, because thermal decomposition of PP and compatibilizer must be prevented. Compression molding was selected as the molding method because it allows molding with a small amount of sample. The binary blends of PP and LCP showed a degradation of tensile properties compared to pure PP. However, the addition of 2,2'-bis(2-oxazoline) and PP-g-MAH as compatibilizers dramatically improved the dispersion of LCP in the PP matrix, resulting in improved tensile properties. In particular, the tensile elongation at break was significantly increased, and cohesive failure (breakage within the matrix rather than at the PP/LCP interface) was observed in scanning electron microscopy images. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]