Organoclay-modified thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers as viscosity reduction agents for high molecular mass polyethylene

Small amounts of organoclays of different sizes and concentrations were added into thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP) forming four types of organoclay-modified TLCPs (TC3 white, TC3 dark, TC3 FS, and TC3 UP), which had different rheological behaviors in the nematic temperature region of TLCP. Acting as viscosity reduction agents, 1.0 wt% of each organoclay-modified TLCPs were blended with high molecular mass polyethylene (HMMPE), respectively. The organoclay-modified TLCP/HMMPE blends displayed different rheological properties from each other or compared with HMMPE and 1.0 wt% TLCP/HMMPE blend [PT1]. The organoclay-modified TLCPs had greater viscosity reduction efficiency than the original TLCP in HMMPE, a lower yielding stress and yielding start shear rate, and a narrower yielding transition region than those of PT1. The rheological performance of the blends, 1.0 wt% TC3 white/HMMPE, 1.0 wt% TC3 FS/HMMPE, and PT1, could be successfully described by a binary flow pattern model.