Process for making oriented, shaped articles of para-aramid/thermally-consolidatable polymer blends

A process for making thermally-consolidatable oriented, shaped articles containing a substantially continuous phase of para-aramid polymer in the direction of orientation comprising the steps of:

• forming under agitation a liquid solution of said para-aramid polymer having an inherent viscosity of at least about 3 dl/g and a thermoplastic polymer in a common solvent, said solution having a total article-forming polymer concentration sufficient that the solution is bi-phasic and comprises an anisotropic phase and an isotropic phase, at least, about 55% and less than about 80% by weight said article-forming polymers being said para-aramid polymer and at least about 20% and less than about 45% by weight of said article forming polymers being said thermoplastic polymer, said anisotropic and isotropic phases being interdispersed and said anisotropic phase being present in domains with the size of the domains being on the average less than about 300 microns;
• orienting the anisotropic phase of said bi-phasic liquid solution;
• and
• removing said solvent to produce oriented shaped articles.