The subject of liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) transcends classical polymer chemistry and physics, and it extends the conventional boundaries of rheology and processing. Properties of these new materials are, on the one hand, reminiscent of amorphous metals, while simultaneously exhibiting attributes of organic single crystals.

The remarkable mechanical properties and thermal stability of fibers fabricated from liquid crystalline polymers have lead to the use of these materials in structural applications where weight savings are critical. Advances in processing of LCPs could pe rmit the incorporation of these polymers into other than uniaxial designs and extend their utility into new areas such as nonliner optical devices. (Committee on Liquid Crystalline Polymers)