Effect of Polyphosphazene on the Properties of Blend of Nylon 6,6/Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polymer

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of polyphosphazene elastomer as compatibilizer on the properties of Nylon 6,6/thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer blends. In situ fibrillation of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers develops in the shear flow field in presence of thermoplastic matrix. The addition of polyphosphazene into the blend facilitates the structural development of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer. Polyphosphazene elastomer reacts at the interface resulting in reduction of viscosity, which in turn reduces the droplet size enabling fine dispersion of the Liquid Crystalline Polymer (LCP) fibrils. Thermal stability does not change appreciably, but in case of ternary blend T_g value slightly shifted towards the higher side compared to pure matrix indicating the increase in miscibility in the ternary blends. Morphological study demonstrates the significance of compatibilization in immiscible polymer blends.