Characterization of a fiber-reinforced new fully aromatic liquid crystalline polymer

Abstract

A new rigid liquid crystalline polymer that demonstrates good mechanical and thermomechanical properties and acceptable processing temperature has been recently synthesized and characterized. The melting temperature and some thermomechanical properties do not seem, however, suitable for use in some applications at high temperature or in the presence of aggressive fluids. The use of appropriate inorganic fillers can overcome these shortcomings. In this work the new LCP, polymerized in a bench-scale apparatus, and the same sample filled with carbon fibers are characterized. The properties of the carbon fiber filled LCP are compared with those of another filled wholly aromatic commercial LCP, a carbon filled semirigid LCP, and the same semirigid LCP reinforced with glass fibers. In general, the mechanical properties of the filled LCP sample increase remarkably when the filler concentration is about 20%; however, with further increases in filler content, a decrease is observed. The thermal and chemical resistance of this new rigid LCP seems slightly influenced by the addition of fibers, while the thermal resistance of the other two LCP samples is remarkably improved.