Characterization of Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polymer Blends by Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy

Abstract

Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) has been used to investigate polymer-based molecular composites of two separate thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers (TLCPs) and the thermoplastic matrix polyetherimide. Variations in PALS spectral components were observed as a function of both TLCP content and temperature and are discussed as a function of free volume and molecular structure. It has been shown that these differences, between the matrix and reinforcing phase, has substantial influence on the localization and annihilation of o-Ps. The more miscible HX4000 composites exhibited TLCP dominated lifetime characteristics at room temperature. Differential scanning calorimetry, used as a complementary characterization technique to PALS to investigate the differences in miscibility of the two systems and possible effects on lifetime values, has shown that the. greater miscibility exhibited by the HX4000 system over the Vectra system provides the potential to form composites on a size scale closer to the molecular level.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 17, 1992
Accession Number
ADA253616

Entities

People

  • Phillip L. Jones
  • Robert A. Naslund

Organizations

  • Duke University

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Calorimetry
  • Composite Materials
  • Contrast
  • Glass
  • Glass Transition Temperature
  • Intensity
  • Materials
  • Materials Science
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Positronium
  • Positrons
  • Scanning
  • Spectroscopy
  • Tensile Strength
  • Tensile Testing
  • Transition Temperature
  • Transitions

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Molecular Photonics/Laser Physics
  • Reinforced Composite Materials
  • Solar Physics