Factors affecting microstructural scale in liquid crystalline polymers

Processing polymers from the liquid crystalline state offers several advantages compared to processing from conventional fluids. These include: better axial strength and stiffness in fibers, better planar orientation in films, lower viscosity during processing, low solidification shrinkage of injection moldings (thermotropic processing), and low thermal expansion coefficients. However, the compressive strength of the solid is disappointing. Previous efforts to improve this property have focussed on synthesizing stiffer molecules. The effect of microstructural scale has been overlooked, even though its relevance to the mechanical and physical properties of more traditional materials is well established. By analogy with the behavior of metals and ceramics, one would expect a fine microstructure (i..e. a high density of orientational defects) to be desirable.Also, because much microstructural detail in liquid crystalline polymers occurs on a scale close to the wavelength of light, light is scattered on passing through these materials.