pps proceeding - Abstract Preview
pps proceeding
Symposium: S19 - Additive technology
Oral Presentation
 
 

Generation of High performance Polyphenylene Sulfide-Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polymer Composite Filaments for Use in Fused Filament Fabrication

Ansari Mubashir Q (1)*, Baird Donald G (1)

(1) Department of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University - Virginia - USA

In this work, a novel dual extrusion process was used to fabricate high performance continuously-reinforced composite filaments for use in Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). The processing conditions required to reinforce Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) using a commercially available Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polymer (TLCP), composed of p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid and hydroquinone were established. The TLCPs possess high mechanical properties arising from stearic hindrance of their rod like monomers. The TLCP of interest melts at 340 ℃ but can stay molten up to around 40 ℃ below its melting temperature when cooled from 360 ℃, exhibiting a phenomenon known as supercooling behavior. However, the melt stability was found to vary drastically with the temperature. At 305, 310 and 315 ℃, the melt is stable for 133, 409 and 1834 seconds respectively. At 320 ℃ the melt is stable for more than 3600 seconds. Isothermal time sweeps performed on PPS indicate a stable melt complex viscosity at 315 ℃ compared to the tests performed at 320 ℃ and above. Due to the difference in processing temperatures, the filaments are generated using a unique process in which the higher melting point TLCP is spun within the matrix to form an in situ reinforced filament. The resins are plasticated in two different extruders at different temperatures and then the stream of the higher melting TLCP is injected into the stream of PPS. The composite stream is passed through a series of static mixers which subdivide the streams into finer streams, and then the composite stream is drawn to impart molecular orientation to the TLCP phase. The filaments so produced are processed in FFF by melting the PPS without melting the TLCP. The reprocessing temperature of the filaments produced is determined using dynamic mechanical analysis such that the TLCP chains do not relax. The properties of the strands and plaques generated from these strands will be reported.