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The molecular structure of LCP, a wholly aromatic polyester, is shown in Figure 2.
With conventional polyesters, the molecular chains are randomand flexible. Fibers spun from such materials must be further oriented, generally through a combination of extrusion speed and post-spin drawing, to obtain higher tensile properties. Vectran’s highly oriented structure is locked in directly during the melt-spinning process, thanks to the molecular structure and liquid crystalline nature of the starting polymer.
Vectran® is different from other high-performance fibers such as aramid and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (HMPE). Vectran® fiber is thermotropic, it is melt-spun, and it melts at a high temperature. Aramid fiber is lyotropic, it is solvent-spun, and it does not melt at high temperature. HMPE fiber is gel-spun, and it melts at a low temperature.
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