Liquid crystalline polymer and its composites: Chemistry and recent advances

Abstract

The high strength and stiffness of Liquid Crystalline polymers (LCPs) are due to their rigid rod-like molecules which forms a highly ordered structures that result in self-reinforcing characteristics. Thermotropic LCPs exhibit exceptional mechanical properties when oriented. Commercial LCP resins are often filled with glass or other types of fillers like silica, clay, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and halloysite nanotube type fillers to negate the anisotropy and to reduce the cost. The structure and properties of LCPs as well as the development of self-reinforcing high strength fibres during processing is discussed in this chapter. The rheological behavior of LCP and its dependence on the thermal and flow histories is covered. The influence of nanofillers will be considered with due attention e.g. effects of particle size, particle/matrix interface adhesion and particle loading on flow during processing and the mechanical properties of such particulate-LCP composites. Through these approaches of developing high performance particulate LCP-based composites that are less anisotropic will be outlined.