The effect of glass fiber and coupling agents in the blends of silicone rubber and liquid crystalline polymers

Blends of silicone rubber (VMQ) and liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) were prepared using a melt blending technique in the presence and absence of glass fiber and coupling agents. The effect of glass fiber and coupling agents on the thermal, dynamic mechanical, morphological properties and cure characteristics of VMQ/LCP blends were studied. The vinyl silane coupling agent showed a significant effect on the above mentioned properties of VMQ/LCP blends by reacting at the interface between VMQ and LCR The viscosity of the VMQ/LCP blends decreased with the addition of a coupling agent. A substantial improvement in storage modulus of VMQ/LCP blends was observed in the presence of glass fiber and coupling agents. However, as a coupling agent vinyl silane proved to be better than amine for the VMQ/LCP-glass-containing blends. The thermal stability of the pure silicone rubber was higher than those of the blends. This high thermal stability of silicone rubber was attributed to the Si-O-Si bonds. However, the thermal stability of the blends decreased further in the presence of a coupling agent, possibly due to a decrease in blend crystallinity.