Synergistic toughening effect of chlorinated polyethylene and acrylic resin on SAN/ASA blends at low temperature

Styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN)/acrylonitrile–styrene–acrylate terpolymer (ASA) blends (75/25, w/w) were toughened by blending with chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) and acrylic resin (ACR) at three different temperatures (?30, 0, and 25 °C). When the testing temperature was 0 and 25 °C, CPE played a key role in improving the impact strength of blends instead of ACR. However, an obvious synergistic toughening effect of CPE and ACR was observed at ?30 °C: when both 10 phr CPE and 15 phr ACR were added, the impact strength of the blends reached a peak at 7.50 kJ/m², which was about two to three times higher than when 25 phr CPE or 25 phr ACR was introduced into the blends individually. Scanning electron microscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, and surface energy measurements were used to investigate the toughening mechanism. Furthermore, other mechanical properties and the heat distortion temperatures were evaluated. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43958.     

Improvement in Low Temperature Izod Impact Strength of SAN/ASA/HNBR Ternary Blends Considering Competing Effects of Glass Transition Temperature and Compatibility

The competing effects of glass transition temperature (T_g) and compatibility on the low temperature Izod impact toughness of styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer/acrylonitrile–styrene‐acrylate terpolymer (SAN/ASA, 75/25, w/w) blends were investigated by using a series of hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubbers (HNBRs) with different acrylonitrile (AN) contents. The results showed that the HNBR with AN mass content ranging from 21% to 43% had good compatibility with polymer matrix and exhibited dramatic toughening effect at 25°C. Owing to their low T_gs, only the HNBRs (AN = 21% and 25%) remained favorable toughening effect at 0 and ?30°C, respectively. Furthermore, the HNBR with 0% AN content was represented by butadiene rubber (BR). Although, BR has an extremely low T_g (?94.5°C), it is incompatible with polymer matrix, and then could not toughen the material at three temperatures (?30, 0, and 25°C, respectively). Various characterizations including solubility parameters, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and so on were carried out to elucidate the toughening mechanism. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 25:225–235, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Toughening effect of CPE on ASA/SAN binary blends at different temperatures

The effect of chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) on the impact toughness of acrylonitrile–styrene–acrylic (ASA) terpolymer/styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) binary blends (25/75, w/w) was systematically investigated at three different temperatures (?30 °C, 0 °C, and 23 °C). With the addition of 60 phr CPE, the impact strength increased by 11 times at 23 °C and 10 times at 0 °C. However, the toughening effect was not obvious when the testing temperature was ?30 °C. Since the glass‐transition temperature (T_g) of CPE was about ?18.3 °C as measured with dynamic mechanical analysis tests, the polymeric chains of CPE have been “frozen out” at ?30 °C. As a result, CPE evidently cannot improve the toughness of the blend system. The morphology of impact‐fractured surfaces observed by scanning electron microscopy also confirmed the effect of CPE on the impact toughness of ASA/SAN binary blends. The heat distortion temperature remained almost unchanged, indicating that the improvement in toughness did not sacrifice heat resistance. Furthermore, other mechanical properties were evaluated, and the possible interactions among components of the blends were also analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectra. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43353.     

Swelling and mechanical properties of (acrylonitrile‐butadiene rubber)/(hydrogenated acrylonitrile‐butadiene rubber) blends with precipitated silica filled in gasohol fuels

This work studied the effects of hydrogenated acrylonitrile‐butadiene rubber (HNBR) and precipitated silica (PSi) loadings in acrylonitrile‐butadiene rubber (NBR) filled with 60 parts per hundred of rubber (phr) of carbon black (CB) for oil‐resistant seal applications in contact with gasohol fuel. The cure characteristics, mechanical properties, and swelling behavior of HNBR/NBR blends reinforced with PSi before and after immersion in ethanol‐based oils (E10, E20, and E85) were then monitored. This work studied the effects of PSi loading in rubber compounds on the mechanical properties of the rubber blends. The results suggested that the scorch time of CB‐filled NBR/HNBR was not affected by HNBR loading, but the cure time, Mooney viscosity, and torque difference increased with HNBR content. The swelling of the blends in E85 oil were relatively low compared with those in E10 and E20 oils. The recommended NBR/HNBR blend ratio for oil‐resistant applications was 50/50. Tensile strength and elongation at break before and after immersion in gasohol oils increased with HNBR loading, and the opposite effect was found for tensile modulus and hardness. PSi filler had no effect on scorch time, but decreased the cure time of the blends. The swelling level of the blends slightly decreased with increasing PSi content. The recommended silica content for optimum reinforcement for black‐filled NBR/HNBR blend at 50/50 was 30 phr. The results in this work suggested that NBR/HNBR blends reinforced with 60 phr of CB and 30 phr of silica could be potentially used for rubber seals in contact with gasohol fuels. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 22:239–246, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Toughening modification of poly(vinyl chloride)/ α‐methylstyrene‐acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene copolymer blends via adding chlorinated polyethylene

In this study, poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC)/α‐methylstyrene‐acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene copolymer (AMS‐ABS) (70/30)/chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) ternary blends was prepared. With the addition of CPE, it did not exert a negative influence in both the glass transition temperature and heat distortion temperature. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that addition of CPE did not play a negative role in the thermal stability. With regard to mechanical properties, high toughness was observed combined with the decrease in tensile strength and flexural strength. With the addition of 15 phr CPE, the impact strength increased by about 21.0 times and 8.5 times in comparison with pure PVC and PVC/AMS‐ABS (70/30) blends, respectively. The morphology correlated well with the impact strength. It was also suggested from the morphology that shear yielding was the major toughening mechanisms for the ternary blends. And there existed a change in the fibril structures that are observed in scanning electron microphotographs. Our present study shows that combination of AMS‐ABS and CPE improves the toughness without sacrificing the heat resistance, and the value of notched impact strength can be enhanced to the same level of super‐tough nylon. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:378–385, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effect of resin modifiers on the structural properties of epoxy resins

Thermomechanical, mechanical and fracture mechanical properties of modified epoxy resins with two different modifiers are investigated. Carboxyl‐terminated butadiene‐acrylonitrile (CTBN) is used as toughening agent and hexanediole diglycidyl ether (HDDGE) as reactive diluent. Both modifiers are admixed in contents from 0 up to 100 phr (parts per hundred resin) and exhibit flexibilizing and toughening qualities. The glass transition temperature is strongly depressed by the admixed reactive diluent, whereas the tensile modulus exhibits greater dependency on the toughening agent contents. The tensile strength and strain at break values are higher for the formulations with diluent compared to resins with toughening agent. Up to a content of 45 phr both modified systems exhibit comparable fracture toughness values. Only the toughened systems comprise increasing values for modifier amounts higher than 45 phr. For the formulation with both modifiers (toughening agent and diluent) a significantly higher toughness but a reduced glass transition temperature was obtained. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45348.     

Effects of the polybutadiene/poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile) ratio in a polybutadiene‐g‐poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile) impact modifier on the morphology and mechanical behavior of acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene blends

Polybutadiene‐g‐poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile) (PB‐g‐SAN) impact modifiers with different polybutadiene (PB)/poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile) (SAN) ratios ranging from 20.5/79.5 to 82.7/17.3 were synthesized by seeded emulsion polymerization. Acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) blends with a constant rubber concentration of 15 wt % were prepared by the blending of these PB‐g‐SAN copolymers and SAN resin. The influence of the PB/SAN ratio in the PB‐g‐SAN impact modifier on the mechanical behavior and phase morphology of ABS blends was investigated. The mechanical tests showed that the impact strength and yield strength of the ABS blends had their maximum values as the PB/SAN ratio in the PB‐g‐SAN copolymer increased. A dynamic mechanical analysis of the ABS blends showed that the glass‐transition temperature of the rubbery phase shifted to a lower temperature, the maximum loss peak height of the rubbery phase increased and then decreased, and the storage modulus of the ABS blends increased with an increase in the PB/SAN ratio in the PB‐g‐SAN impact modifier. The morphological results of the ABS blends showed that the dispersion of rubber particle in the matrix and its internal structure were influenced by the PB/SAN ratio in the PB‐g‐SAN impact modifiers. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 2165–2171, 2005     

Study of compatibility,morphology structure and mechanical properties of CPVC/ABS blends

Compatibility, morphology structure, and mechanical properties of CPVC/ABS (Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride/acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene) blends were studied. The core‐shell ratios of ABS were set at 40/60 and 70/30. The interface interactions between ABS and CPVC were changed by modifying the acrylonitrile (AN) content of the shell. The compatibility of CPVC with the shell of ABS was studied by the blends of CPVC/SAN with different AN content in SAN. Dynamic mechanical analysis results of CPVC/SAN were in accordance with the morphological properties of CPVC/ABS. The mechanical properties of CPVC/ABS blends in which the polybutadiene content was set to 15 wt % were studied. Results showed, with the change of AN content, the impact strength followed different way for CPVC/ABS blends with different core‐shell ratios of ABS because of the influence of the compatibility. When the core‐shell ratio was 40/60, the CPVC/ABS blends were much ductile in more widely AN range than the blends, whereas the core‐shell ratio of ABS was 70/30. The differences also showed in the SEM micrographs by the investigation of toughening mechanism. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Morphology and physical properties of SAN/NBR blends: The effect of AN content in NBR

Poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile) (SAN), of which the content of acrylonitrile (AN) repeating unit is 32 wt % (SAN32), was blended with poly(butadiene‐co‐acrylonitrile) (NBR). The effects of AN repeating unit content in NBR on the miscibility, morphology, and physical properties of SAN32/NBR (70/30 by weight) blends were studied. Differential scanning calorimetry and the morphology observed by transmission electron microscopy showed that the miscibility between SAN32 and NBR was increased as the AN content in NBR was increased up to 50 wt %. The impact strength and some other mechanical properties of the blends had the maximum value when the AN content in NBR was 34 wt %. In the measurement of viscoelasticity at melt state, SAN32/NBR blends showed yield behavior at low shear rate, and this behavior was most evident when the AN content in NBR was 34 wt %. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 1861–1868, 2000     

Blends of poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene oxide)/polyamide 6 toughened by maleated polystyrene‐based copolymers: Mechanical properties,morphology, and rheology

Poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene oxide)/polyamide 6 (PPO/PA6 30/70) blends were impact modified by addition of three kinds of maleated polystyrene‐based copolymers, i.e., maleated styrene‐ethylene‐butylene‐styrene copolymer (SEBS‐g‐MA), maleated methyl methacrylate‐butadiene‐styrene copolymer (MBS‐g‐MA), and maleated acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene copolymer (ABS‐g‐MA). The mechanical properties, morphology and rheological behavior of the impact modified PPO/PA6 blends were investigated. The selective location of the maleated copolymers in one phase or at interface accounted for the different toughening effects of the maleated copolymer, which is closely related to their molecular structure and composition. SEBS‐g‐MA was uniformly dispersed in PPO phase and greatly toughened PPO/PA6 blends even at low temperature. MBS‐g‐MA particles were mainly dispersed in the PA6 phase and around the PPO phase, resulting in a significant enhancement of the notched Izod impact strength of PPO/PA6 blends from 45 J/m to 281 J/m at the MBS‐g‐MA content of 20 phr. In comparison, the ABS‐g‐MA was mainly dispersed in PA6 phase without much influencing the original mechanical properties of the PPO/PA6 blend. The different molecule structure and selective location of the maleated copolymers in the blends were reflected by the change of rheological behavior as well. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Mechanical properties and deformation behaviors of acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene under Izod impact test and uniaxial tension at various strain rates

Two polybutadiene‐graft‐acrylonitrile‐styrene copolymer (PBD‐g‐SAN) impact modifiers with different rubber particle size were synthesized by seeded emulsion polymerization. Acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS) blends with a constant rubber concentration of 15 wt% were prepared by blending those impact modifiers and SAN resin. The major focus was the mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms of ABS blends under Izod impact test and uniaxial tension at various strain rates from 2.564 × 10^?4 S^?1 upto 1.282 × 10^?1 S^?1. By the combination of transmission electron microscope and scanning electron microscope, it was concluded that crazes and cavitation coexisted in ABS blends. The deformation mechanisms of ABS blend containing large rubber particles was rubber particles cavitation and shear yielding in the matrix including crazes, and they do not change with the strain rate. Different from ABS blend with large rubber particles, deformation mechanism of ABS with small rubber particles under tensile condition was only involved in shear yielding in the matrix and no crazes were formed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

High‐impact toughness poly(vinyl chloride)/(α‐methylstyrene)‐acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene copolymer/acrylic resin blends: Thermal properties and toughening mechanism

High impact toughness poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC)/(α‐methylstyrene)‐acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene copolymer (70/30)/acrylic resin (ACR) blends were prepared. Incorporation of ACR did not play a negative role in thermal properties. The glass transition temperature, heat distortion temperature, and thermal stability remained constant as ACR content increased. With the addition of 10 phr (parts by weight per hundred parts of resin) of ACR, the impact strength increased by 20.0 times and 7.2 times compared with that of pure PVC and that of PVC/(α‐methylstyrene)‐acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene copolymer (70/30) blends, respectively. However, tensile strength and flexural properties decreased. The morphology changed from domain distortions to crazing with fibrillar plastic deformation as ACR content increased. The toughening mechanism varied from “shear yielding” to “craze with shear yielding,” which depended on the content of ACR. This study presents the finding that addition of ACR drastically improved impact toughness without sacrificing any heat resistance, and the enhanced impact strength could be at the same level of supertough nylon. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 21:205–214, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Properties of ASA/SAN/NBR ternary blends: effect of AN content in NBR

Abstract

Nitrile–butadiene rubbers (NBRs) with different acrylonitrile (AN) contents were used to toughen acrylonitrile–styrene–acrylic terpolymer/styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (ASA/SAN) blends. The properties of the ASA/SAN/NBR ternary blends were investigated via dynamic mechanical analysis, heat distortion temperature, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effects of AN content in NBR on physical properties, heat resistance and morphology of the ternary blends were studied. Heat distortion temperature of the blends decreased with increasing AN content of NBR. The impact strength reached the maximum value when 20 phr NBR with 26 wt-%AN content was added. Images (SEM) were in accordance with results of mechanical properties.     

Influence of the tert‐dodecyl mercaptan content in poly(acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene) on properties of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride/poly(acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene) blends

A series of poly(acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene) (ABS) grafting modifiers were synthesized by emulsion grafting poly(acrylonitrile‐styrene) (SAN) copolymer onto polybutadiene (PB) latex rubber particles. The chain transfer reagent tert‐dodecyl mercaptan (TDDM) was used to regulate the grafting degree of ABS and the molecular weight of SAN copolymers. By blending these ABS modifiers with Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) resin, a series of CPVC/ABS blends were obtained. The morphology, compatibility, and the mechanical properties of CPVC/ABS blends were investigated. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies showed that the ABS domain all uniformly dispersed in CPVC matrix. Dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) results showed that the compatibility between CPVC and SAN became enhanced with the TDDM content. From the mechanical properties study of the CPVC/ABS blends, it was revealed that the impact strength first increases and then decreases with the TDDM content, which means that the compatibility between CPVC and the SAN was not the only requirement for maximizing toughness. The decreasing of tensile strength and the elongations might attribute to the lower entanglement between chains of CPVC and SAN. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effects of compatibilizer on the morphological,mechanical, and rheological properties of poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(N‐methyl methacrylimide) blends

The effects of compatibilizer on the morphological, thermal, mechanical, and rheological properties of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/poly(N‐methyl methacrylimide) (PMMI) (70/30) blends were investigated. The compatibilizer used in this study was styrene–acrylonitrile–glycidyl methacrylate (SAN‐GMA) copolymer. Morphological characterization of the PMMA/PMMI (70/30) blend with SAN‐GMA showed a decrease in PMMI droplet size with an increase in SAN‐GMA. The glass‐transition temperature of the PMMA‐rich phase became higher when SAN‐GMA was added up to 5 parts per hundred resin by weight (phr). The flexural and tensile strengths of the PMMA/PMMI (70/30) blend increased with the addition of SAN‐GMA up to 5 phr. The complex viscosity of the PMMA/PMMI (70/30) blends increased when SAN‐GMA was added up to 5 phr, which implies an increase in compatibility between the PMMA and PMMI components. From the weighted relaxation spectrum, which was obtained from the storage modulus and loss modulus, the interfacial tension of the PMMA/PMMI (70/30) blend was calculated using the Palierne emulsion model and the Choi‐Schowalter model. The results of the morphological, thermal, mechanical, and rheological studies and the values of the interfacial tension of the PMMA/PMMI (70/30) blends suggest that the optimum compatibilizer concentration of SAN‐GMA is 5 phr. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016 , 133, 43856.     

Blends of bisphenol A polycarbonate and rubber‐toughened styrene–maleic anhydride copolymers

The morphology and mechanical properties of polycarbonate (PC) blends with rubber‐toughened styrene–maleic anhydride copolymer materials (TSMA) were investigated and compared with the properties of blends of PC with acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) materials. The PC/TSMA blends showed similar composition dependence of properties as the comparable PC/ABS blends. Polycarbonate blends with TSMA exhibited higher notched Izod impact toughness than pure PC under sharp‐notched conditions but the improvements are somewhat less than observed for similar blends with ABS. Since PC is known for its impact toughness except under sharp‐notched conditions, this represents a significant advantage of the rubber‐modified blends. PC blends with styrene–maleic anhydride copolymer (SMA) were compared to those with a styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN). The trends in blend morphology and mechanical properties were found to be qualitatively similar for the two types of copolymers. PC/SMA blends are nearly transparent or slightly pearlescent. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 1508–1515, 1999     

Effect of the addition of acrylonitrile/ethylene–propylene–diene monomer (EPDM)/styrene graft copolymer on the morphology–properties relationships in poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile)/EPDM rubber blends

Blends of poly(styrene‐co‐acylonitrile) (SAN) with ethylene–propylene–diene monomer (EPDM) rubber were investigated. An improved toughness–stiffness balance of the SAN/EPDM blend was obtained when an appropriate amount of acrylonitrile–EPDM–styrene (AES) graft copolymer was added, prepared by grafting EPDM with styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer, and mixed thoroughly with both of the two components of the blend. Morphological observations indicated a finer dispersion of the EPDM particles in the SAN/EPDM/AES blends, and particle size distribution became narrower with increasing amounts of AES. Meanwhile, it was found that the SAN/EPDM blend having a ratio of 82.5/17.5 by weight was more effective in increasing the impact strength than that of the 90/10 blend. From dynamic mechanic analysis of the blends, the glass‐transition temperature of the EPDM‐rich phase increased from ?53.9 to ?46.2°C, even ?32.0°C, for the ratio of 82.5/17.5 blend of SAN/EPDM, whereas that of the SAN‐rich phase decreased from 109.2 to 108.6 and 107.5°C with the additions of 6 and 10% AES copolymer contents, respectively. It was confirmed that AES graft copolymer is an efficient compatibilizer for SAN/EPDM blend. The compatibilizer plays an important role in connecting two phases and improving the stress transfer in the blends. Certain morphological features such as thin filament connecting and even networking of the dispersed rubber phase may contribute to the overall ductility of the high impact strength of the studied blends. Moreover, its potential to induce a brittle–ductile transition of the glassy SAN matrix is considered to explain the toughening mechanism. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 1685–1697, 2004     

Toughness of ABS/PBT blends: The relationship between composition,morphology, and fracture behavior

A series of acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) copolymer/poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT)/acrylonitrile‐styrene‐glycidyl methacrylate (ASG) blends with various compositions were prepared and characterized in this study. When the fraction of ABS exceeds a critical value there is a rapid increase in notched impact strength of ABS/PBT blends no matter whether the compatibilizer ASG is present. By combining morphology observation and notched impact results, we found that the ductile‐brittle transition of the blends is closely related to the morphology inversion. The notched impact strength jumps from 15.9 to 33.4 kJ/m² when phase inversion of ABS occurs at its fraction of 58 wt %. Accordingly, a possible toughening mechanism involved in the blends is proposed on the basis of a careful analysis of fracture energy, crack propagation behavior and fracture surface morphology. It is believed that the continuous ABS phase plays the critical role in toughening ABS/PBT blends. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46051.     

Study of the miscibility and mechanical properties of NBR/HNBR blends

In this study, hydrogenated acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR, ZETPOL‐2010L) and nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR, NIPOL‐DN4555) were blended at different ratios in a Haake melt blender at 130°C. The HNBR and the NBR were of very similar acrylonitrile content and Mooney viscosity. The melt miscibility and solid‐state properties were investigated by rheological, thermal, and mechanical testing and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The dynamic viscosity of the blends followed the log‐additivity rule, while the flow activation energy closely followed the inverse additivity rule. On the other hand, the storage modulus showed synergistic effects at all compositions, suggesting the presence of emulsion morphology at both ends of the composition range. For the 50/50 HNBR/NBR blend, the SEM micrographs suggest a uniform elongated structure. The thermal analysis showed the presence of two glass transitions, representing the pure components, at all blend ratios, suggesting the absence of segmental miscibility of the blends. The small‐strain mechanical properties such as tensile modulus and yield stress followed linear additivity. However, HNBR and HNBR‐rich blends were observed to strain harden at a rate higher than that of NBR. Induced crystallization of HNBR was suggested to be the reason for the strain hardening. The different rheological, thermal, and mechanical testing techniques agree in suggesting that the structurally similar HNBR and NBR are not thermodynamically miscible but mechanically compatible. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:2346–2352, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Influence of acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) morphology and poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile) (SAN) content on fracture behavior of ABS/SAN blends

This study attempted to correlate morphological changes and physical properties for a high rubber content acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) and its diluted blends with a poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile) (SAN) copolymer. The results showed a close relationship between rubber content and fracture toughness for the blends. The change of morphology in ABS/SAN blends explains in part some deviations in fracture behavior observed in ductile–brittle transition temperature shifts. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 2606–2611, 2004