Project Title:

LaRC-TPI and Liquid-Crystal Polymer Blends

04.03-3200
NAS1-19025
LaRC-TPI and Liquid-Crystal Polymer Blends
Foster-Miller, Inc.
	350 Second Avenue
	Waltham, MA 02154-1196
		Richard W. Lusignea
(617-890-3200)

Abstract:

	Spacecraft structures, such as the precision, segmented reflector, truss tubes,
and solar cell array panels, require the development of low coefficient-of-thermal-expansion
(CTE) polymers with excellent processibility. A blend of novel liquid-crystal polymers
(LCPs) with NASA's high-performance thermoplastic polyimide, LARC-TPI is an approach
for developing material with properties that meet future requirements for spacecraft.
Such blends can reduce CTE by more than a factor of 10 and can increase modulus by
more than three times at volume ratios of 30 to 50 percent for the LCP. These materials
are much easier to process because viscosity is reduced by two orders of magnitude.
Such improvements will make LARC-TPI and LCP blends fully competitive with fiber-reinforced
composites but at lower cost. These high-temperature, high-stiffness, low-density,
near-zero CTE films and molded parts will make ideal materials for a variety of applications,
such as high-strength, high-stiffness, thin-walled space structures and precision,
segmented reflectors for solar collectors.

Potential Commercial Application:

Potential Commercial Applications: Applications may include antenna and reflector
structures, solar array panels, thermal insulation layers, self-deployable structures,
thermally stable interlayers for components used for direct surface mounting and
multilayer board construction, and high-temperature vacuum bagging films for composite
fabrication.