Influence of ABS type on morphology and mechanical properties of PC/ABS blends

Abstract

Texas 7871 2 SYNOPSISThe morphology and the mechanical properties of polycarbonate (PC) blends with different acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) materials were investigated. PC/ABS blends based on a mass-made ABS with 16% rubber and large (0.5-1 pm) rubber particles are compared to blends based on an emulsion-made ABS with 50% rubber and small, monodisperse (0.12 pm) rubber particles over the full range of blend compositions. The blends with the bulk ABS showed excellent impact strength for most compositions, and those containing 50 and 70% PC exhibited ductile to brittle transition temperatures below that of PC. The blends with the emulsion ABS showed excellent toughness in sharp notch Izod impact tests a t room temperature and in standard notch Izod impact tests a t low temperatures near the Tg of the rubber. By melt blending the various ABS materials with a styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN 25) copolymer, materials with lower rubber concentrations were obtained. These materials were used in blends with PC to make comparisons at constant rubber concentrations of 5,10, and 15%. The results of this investigation show that brittle ABS materials can produce tough PC-ABS blends. It is apparent that small rubber particles toughen PC-ABS blends a t lower rubber concentrations and a t lower temperatures than is possible with large rubber particles. However, additional work is needed to understand the nature of toughening in these PC-ABS blends with different rubber phase morphologies. It is of particular interest to understand the exceptional ductility of some of the blends at low temperatures.

Predicting the low-velocity impact behavior of polycarbonate: Influence of thermal history during injection molding

“…Experimental results showed that the averaged impact fracture energies of the wider and thinner specimens were 112 J/m and 918 J/m, respectively. Lombardo et al [11] studied 3.18 mm thick samples with sharp and standard notch. The sample with sharp notch had 80 J/m fracture energy.…”

“…The impact response of PC has been extensively studied in the literature by experimental research works, ranging from high velocity impacts [4][5][6][7][8][9] by means of gas gun impact tests to low velocity impacts [1,2,10,11], and by means of falling weight tests or Izod impact tests. Shah [4,5] carried out low velocity single and multiple impact tests on a thin PC armor plate.…”

Mechanical properties of blends of polycarbonate with unmodified and maleic anhydride grafted ABS

“…Wu et al 5 have demonstrated the toughening of PC/ABS blends with higher rubber content in the ABS component, at the cost of increased melt viscosity. Lombardo et al 6 have reported that small rubber particles e †ectively toughen the PC. Increase in the molecular weight of PC increases the melt viscosity and ductility of PC/ABS blends.…”

Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy for Polymer Blends

“…The filler generated similar contrast as ABS or MBS and hence it is not very difficult to clearly separate the filler component from ABS or MBS. The ABS morphology in PC matrix has been studied earlier [13] and the mechanical strength of the PC/ABS polymer blend was compared with morphology and dispersion of ABS in PC matrix. Similarly, MBS dispersion in PC matrix has also been investigated by CTEM [14].…”