Abstract: An improved technique is provided to melt-extrude a liquid crystalline polymer to form large elongated solid shaped articles which exhibit significantly improved polymeric orientation. The molten polymer which is capable of forming an anisotropic melt phase is extruded through a converging die that is provided with at least one enclosed cooling zone at an interior location within the flowing molten polymer wherein a cooling fluid is circulated. This cools the molten polymer adjacent the cooling zone with the concomitant increase in its melt viscosity. Such increased melt viscosity at the interior of the stream of the molten polymer contributes to the uniformity of the polymeric orientation imparted within the converging die as well as during subsequent drawdown outside the extrusion orifice. Such improved polymeric orientation leads to the formation of an improved product (e.g., a three-dimensional rod) which exhibits an unusually high tensile modulus in the direction of its length.

Abstract: The instant invention involves a process for use in preparing tapes or rovings, which are formed from a thermoplastic material used to impregnate longitudinally extended bundles of carbon fibers. The process involves the steps of (a) gas spreading a tow of carbon fibers; (b) feeding the spread tow into a crosshead die; (c) impregnating the tow in the die with a thermoplastic polymer; (d) withdrawing the impregnated tow from the die; and (e) gas cooling the impregnated tow with a jet of air.The crosshead die useful in the instant invention includes a horizontally extended, carbon fiber bundle inlet channel, means for providing melted polymer under pressure to the die, means for dividing the polymeric material flowing into the die into an upper flow channel and a lower flow channel disposed above and below the moving carbon fiber bundle, means for applying the thermoplastic material from both the upper and lower channels to the fiber bundle, and means for withdrawing the resulting tape from the die.