| Abstract: | The compatibilizing effect of a thermotropic block-graft copolymer (LCBG) as a compatibilizer on thermotropic liquid-crystalline (LC) polycarbonate (LCPC)/poly(p-phenylene oxide) (PPO) blends was studied. Compatibility, morphology and mechanical properties of the blend systems were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermal mechanical analysis (TMA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The blend without the compatibilizer formed thermotropic LC phases, based on LCPC domains, and had a phase-separated structure. The LC temperature ranges of the blends with LCBG were wider than that of the blend without the compatibilizer. DSC, SEM and TMA data showed that in the blends containing the compatibilizer the compatibility and the viscoelasticity were improved, because LCBG segments penetrate into both the PPO matrices and the LCPC domains in the blends. These results suggest that LCBG acts as a good compatibilizer for blends. |
