Morphology and mechanical behaviors of rigid organic particles reinforced polycarbonate

For the purpose of promoting mechanical properties of bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) reinforced by rigid organic styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) particles, styrene/acrylonitrile/glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer (SAG) was synthesized and applied as compatibilizer for PC/SAN blends. It is found that the phase morphology of PC/SAN/SAG blends is closely related with their mechanical properties. Large continuously distributed SAN phase or spherical dispersed SAN particles with average diameter over 2 μm tend to trigger premature tensile failure of blends due to stress concentration. The incorporation of SAG can simultaneously reinforce and toughen PC/SAN blends by controlling the size and distribution of the dispersed SAN particles. For the blends with fixed PC/SAN ratio, the elongation at break and fracture energy are markedly improved when SAN domain size is reduced by adding appropriate amount of SAG. Typically, for blends with a PC/SAN ratio of 75/25, adding 3 wt% SAG will cause the average diameter of SAN particles to reduce from 2.35 ± 1.20 to 0.74 ± 0.25 μm, meanwhile up to 95% increment in elongation at break and 115% increment in fracture energy is achieved.     

Blends of recycled polycarbonate and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene: comparing the effect of reactive compatibilizers on mechanical and morphological properties

Blends of recycled polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) were prepared and some mechanical and morphological properties were investigated. To compatibilize these blends, ABS‐g‐(maleic anhydride) (ABS‐g‐MA) and (ethylene–vinyl acetate)‐g‐(maleic anhydride) (EVA‐g‐MA) with similar degree of grafting of 1.5% were used. To compare the effect of the type of compatibilizer on mechanical properties, blends were prepared using 3, 5 and 10 phr of each compatibilizer. A co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder was used for blending. The results showed that ABS‐g‐MA had no significant effect on the tensile strength of the blends while EVA‐g‐MA decreased the tensile strength, the maximum decrease being about 9.6% when using 10 phr of this compatibilizer. The results of notched Charpy impact strength tests showed that EVA‐g‐MA increased the impact strength of blends more than ABS‐g‐MA. The maximum value of this increase occurred when using 5 phr of each compatibilizer, it being about 54% for ABS‐g‐MA and 165% for EVA‐g‐MA. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed that the particle size of the dispersed phase was decreased in the continuous phase of PC by using the compatibilizers. Moreover, a blend without compatibilizer showed brittle behaviour while the blends containing compatibilizer showed ductile behaviour in fracture. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

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.     

Dynamic‐mechanical analysis of MWNTs‐filled PC/ABS blends

In a systematic manner, the roles of MWNTs as filler and styrene acrylonitrile copolymer‐graft‐maleic anhydride (SAN‐MA) as compatibilizer, individually and together, on dynamic‐mechanical behavior of polycarbonate (PC)‐rich/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene terpolymer (ABS) blend were studied. The investigations were performed using small‐scale mixing in a one‐step procedure with a fixed MWNTs content of 0.75 wt% and a blend composition of PC/ABS = 70/30 w/w. PC/SAN blends and nanocomposites as simpler model system for PC/ABS were also studied to reveal the role of the rubbery polybutadiene (PB) fraction. It is found that the tendency of MWNTs to localize within the PC component in compatibilized PC/ABS was lower than in compatibilized PC/SAN blends. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) revealed the dual role of SAN‐MA as blend compatibilizer and also promoter of MWNTs migration towards PC, where SAN‐MA to MWNTs weight ratio varied between 1 and 4. At the compatibilizer/MWNTs weight ratio of 1, MWNTs localized in PC component of the blends whereas increasing the compatibilizer/MWNTs ratio to 4 led to migration of MWNTs toward SAN or ABS component. In DMA studies, loss modulus normalization of the nanocomposites revealed the coexistence of mobilized and immobilized regions within the nanocomposite structure, as a result of MWNTs and compatibilizer loading. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2696–2706, 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Polycarbonate/acrylonitrile–styrene–acrylic elastomer terpolymer blends with enhanced interfacial adhesion and surface gloss

A blend of bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC) and an acrylonitrile–styrene–acrylic elastomer (ASA) terpolymer with high surface gloss and excellent interfacial properties was developed for automobile applications. Because PC and the styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile (SAN) copolymer that formed the matrix in the PC/ASA blend were not miscible, two different types of compatibilizers were examined to improve the compatibility of the blend. A diblock copolymer composed of tetramethyl polycarbonate and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was more effective than PMMA in increasing interfacial adhesion between PC and SAN. The surface gloss of the PC/ASA blend was always lower than that of the pure ASA included in the blend because of PC existing at the surface of the injection‐molding specimen. The PC/ASA blend with optimum surface gloss and enhanced interfacial adhesion was developed through the control of the molecular weight of PC and the compatibilizer. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 2097–2104, 2005     

Mechanical properties and morphology of PP/ABS blends compatibilized with PP‐g‐2‐HEMA

Polypropylene (PP) and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene blends of different composition were prepared using a single‐screw extruder. The binary blend of PP/ABS was observed to be incompatible and shows poor mechanical properties. PP‐g‐2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (2‐HEMA) was used as a compatibilizer for the PP/ABS blends. The ternary compatibilized blends of PP/ABS/PP‐g‐2‐HEMA showed improvement in the mechanical properties. Electron micrographs of these blends showed a homogeneous and finer distribution of the dispersed phase. The mechanical performance increased particularly in the PP‐rich blend. The 2.5‐phr (part per hundred of resin) compatibilizer was observed to bring improvement to the properties. The suitability of various existing theoretical models for the predication of the tensile moduli of these blends was examined. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 72–78, 2003     

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     

苯乙烯-丙烯腈-马来酸酐三元共聚物的合成及其在PC/ABS中的应用

采用本体聚合的方法,以苯乙烯、丙烯腈、马来酸酐为反应单体,加入引发剂、链转移剂合成了苯乙烯-丙烯腈-马来酸酐(SAM)三元共聚物.研究了引发剂种类、用量及链转移剂用量对三元共聚物摩尔质量的影响,寻求最优的合成条件;并以自制的SAM来增容聚碳酸酯(PC)/丙烯腈-丁二烯-苯乙烯(ABS)共混物,探讨了SAM对共混物性能的影响.通过红外(FTIR)、核磁(1H-NMR)、差示扫描量热仪(DSC)对三元聚合物结构进行了分析.研究表明:引发剂偶氮二异丁腈(AIBN)效果优于过氧化苯甲酰(BPO),苯乙烯、丙烯腈、马来酸酐物质的量之比为60:38:2,链转移剂十二硫醇(TDM)和引发剂偶氮二异丁腈(AIBN)的用量均为单体总质量的0.1%时,可获得摩尔质量为80 000g/mol左右的三元共聚物SAM;SAM对PC/ABS共混物起到了增容作用.     

Influence of calcium carbonate filler and mixing type process on structure and properties of styrene–acrylonitrile/ethylene–propylene–diene polymer blends

The properties of styrene–acrylonitrile (SAN) and ethylene–propylene–diene (EPDM) blends containing different types of calcium carbonate filler were studied. The influence of mixing type process on the blend properties was also studied. Two different mixing processes were used. The first one includes mixing of all components together. The other process is a two‐step mixing procedure: masterbatch (MB; EPDM/SAN/filler blend) was prepared and then it was mixed with previously prepared polymer blend. Surface energy of samples was determined to predict the strength of interactions between polymer blend components and used fillers. The phase morphology of blends and their thermal and mechanical properties were studied. From the results, it can be concluded that the type of mixing process has a strong influence on the morphological, thermal, and mechanical properties of blends. The two‐step mixing process causes better dispersion of fillers in blends as well as better dispersion of EPDM in SAN matrix, and therefore, the finest morphology and improved properties are observed in blends with MB. It can be concluded that the type of mixing process and carefully chosen compatibilizer are the important factors for obtaining the improved compatibility of SAN/EPDM blends. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Mechanical,thermal, and morphological properties of recycled polycarbonate/recycled poly(acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene) blend nanocomposites

The present work aims within the context of plastic recycling is to upgrade the properties of plastic waste particularly the two engineering plastics polycarbonate (PC) and poly (acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene) (ABS) from electrical and electronic equipment. Recycled polycarbonate (RPC) and recycled poly (acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene) (RABS) were obtained from E‐waste suppliers. RPC/RABS blends compatibilized with both maleic anhydride‐grafted polypropylene (MAP) and solid epoxy resin was prepared by microinjection molding. The effect of compatibilizer addition on the morphology and mechanical properties of RPC/RABS blends were analyzed. Further, to upgrade the mechanical and thermal properties two types of organically modified nanoclays closite 30B (C30B) and closite 15A (C15A) were incorporated into the optimized blend compositions. The effect of organoclay on the mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of the RPC/RABS blend nanocomposites was investigated. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Influences of the phenolic curative content and blend proportions on the properties of dynamically vulcanized natural rubber/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene blends

The vulcanization of natural rubber (NR)‐blended acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) was carried out with a phenolic curing agent by a melt‐mixing process. The NR compound was first prepared before blending with ABS. The effects of the phenolic curative contents (10, 15, and 20 phr) and blend proportions (NR/ABS ratio = 50 : 50, 60 : 40, and 70 : 30) on the mechanical, dynamic, thermal, and morphological properties of the vulcanized NR/ABS blends were investigated. The tensile strength and hardness of the blends increased with increasing ABS content, whereas the elongation at break decreased. The strength property resulting from the thermoplastic component and the vulcanized NR was an essential component for improving the elasticity of the blends. These blends showed a greater elastic response than the neat ABS. The thermal stability of the blends increased with increasing ABS component. Scanning electron micrographs of the blends showed a two‐phase morphology system. The vulcanized 60 : 40 NR/ABS blend with 15‐phr phenolic resin showed a uniform styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile phase dispersed in the vulcanized NR phase; it provided better dispersion between the NR and ABS phases, and this resulted in superior elastic properties. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42520.     

Unsaturated polyester as compatibilizer for styrene–butadiene (SBR)/acrylonitrile–butadiene (NBR) rubber blends

The effect of the addition of 5 and 10 phr of unsaturated polyester resin (UPE) on the compatibility and physicomechanical properties of styrene–butadiene (SBR) and acrylonitrile–butadiene (NBR) rubber blends was studied. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electrical, and ultrasonic techniques were used to determine the degree of the compatibility (DC). The results obtained revealed that, by the addition of 10 parts per hundred parts of rubber (phr) UPE as a compatibilizer for SBR/NBR blends, the degree of compatibility was greatly enhanced. The rheological and mechanical properties of the blends were also improved. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 83: 2314–2321, 2002     

Properties of acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene/polycarbonate blends with styrene–butadiene–styrene block copolymer

The importance of alloys and blends has increased gradually in the polymer industry so that the plastics industry has moved toward complex systems. The main reasons for making polymer blends are the strengthening and the economic aspects of the resultant product. In this study, I attempted to improve compatibility in a polymer blend composed of two normally incompatible constituents, namely, acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) and polycarbonate (PC), through the addition of a compatibilizer. The compatibilizing agent, styrene–butadiene–styrene block copolymer (SBS), was added to the polymer blend in ratios of 1, 5, and 10% with a twin‐screw extruder. The morphology and the compatibility of the mixtures were examined by scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Further, all three blends of ABS/PC/SBS were subjected to examination to obtain their yield and tensile strengths, elasticity modulus, percentage elongation, Izod impact strength, hardness, heat deflection temperature, Vicat softening point, and melt flow index. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 2521–2527, 2004     

Melt processing,mechanical, and fatigue crack propagation properties of reactively compatibilized blends of polyamide 6 and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene copolymer

Within a IUPAC study, melt processing, mechanical, and fatigue crack growth properties of blends of polyamide 6 (PA 6) and poly(acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene) (ABS) were investigated. We focused on the influence of reactive compatibilization on blend properties using a styrene–acrylonitrile–maleic anhydride random terpolymer (SANMA). Two series of PA 6/ABS blends with 30 wt % PA 6 and 70 wt % PA 6, respectively, were prepared with varying amounts of SANMA. Our experiments revealed that the morphology of the matrix (PA 6 or ABS) strongly affects the blend properties. The viscosity of PA 6/ABS blends monotonically increases with SANMA concentration because of the formation of high‐molecular weight graft copolymers. The extrudate swell of the blends was much larger than that of neat PA 6 and ABS and decreased with increasing SANMA concentrations at a constant extrusion pressure. This observation can be explained by the effect of the capillary number. The fracture resistance of these blends, including specific work to break and impact strength, is lower than that of PA 6 or ABS alone, but increases with SANMA concentration. This effect is most strongly pronounced for blends with 70 wt % PA 6. Fatigue crack growth experiments showed that the addition of 1–2 wt % SANMA enhances the resistance against crack propagation for ABS‐based blends. The correlation between blend composition, morphology and processing/end‐use properties of reactively compatibilized PA 6/ABS blends is discussed. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

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.     

Weld‐line characteristics of polycarbonate/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene blends. I. Effect of the processing temperature

The effects of the processing temperature on the morphology and mechanical properties at the weld line of 60/40 (w/w) polycarbonate (PC)/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) copolymer blends were investigated. The influences of the incorporation of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as a compatibilizer and an increase in the viscosity of the dispersed ABS domain phase were also studied. The ABS domain was well dispersed in the region below the V notch, and a coarse morphology in the core region was observed. When tensile stress was applied perpendicularly to the weld line, the fracture propagated along the weak region behind the weld part; there, the domain phase coalescence was significant because of the poor compatibility between PC and styrene–acrylonitrile (SAN). Phase coalescence became severe, and so the mechanical strength of the welded specimen decreased with an increasing injection‐molding temperature. The domain morphology became stable and the mechanical strength increased as the viscosity of the domain phase increased or some SAN was replaced with PMMA. That the morphology was well distributed behind the weld line and the mechanical properties of PC/ABS/PMMA blends were improved was attributed to the compatibilizing effect of PMMA. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 689–699, 2005     

Investigation on the correlation between rheology and morphology of PA6/ABS blends using ethylene acrylate terpolymer as compatibilizer

Phase morphology and rheological behavior of polyamide 6 (PA6)/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymers blends was studied using scanning electron microscopy and rheometry. The results showed that the phase morphology and rheological properties depends on blend composition. We evaluated the effect of addition of ABS as dispersed phase and EnBACO‐MAH (ethylene n‐butyl acrylate carbon monoxide maleic anhydride) as a compatibilizer on the morphological and rheological behaviors of PA6/ABS blends. It was concluded that there is a good agreement between the results obtained from rheological and morphological studies. As a consequence, addition of the ABS and compatibilizer weight percent led to a significant change in morphological structure and a great mounting in the viscosity as well as the elasticity. The rheological properties results demonstrate that adding compatibilizer to polymer blends led to increasing the crossover point, which shows a transition from a high viscous to a considerably more elastic behavior. Also, the slow transition of relaxation time peak from the peak of the PA6 to the peak of the ABS implies increasing the miscibility of the PA6/ABS blend components by increasing compatibilizer content. In addition, the Carreau–Yasuda model was used to extract information on rheological properties (zero shear viscosity and relaxation time) for PA6/ABS/EnBACO‐MAH blends by fitting the experimental data with this model. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Effect of matrix SAN in ABS/PMMA blends

The effect of the molecular weight and acrylonitrile (AN) content of the styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) on the morphology, mechanical properties, and rheological properties of acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene terpolymer/poly(methyl methacrylate) (ABS)/PMMA (60/40 by weight) blends were studied. When the AN content of matrix SAN (32%) was close to that of graft SAN (30%) AN, rubber particles existed separately. However, with matrix SAN having 35% AN, rubber particles showed tendency to agglomerate each other. With increasing molecular weight of matrix SAN, impact strength, ultimate elongation, and abrasion resistance of the blend generally increased. Yield strength increased with molecular weight at a constant AN content of matrix SAN, and it decreased with the decrease of AN content in spite of the increasing molecular weight of SAN. Melt properties, rather than the morphological and mechanical properties, were more sensitive to the AN content, rather than the molecular weight of matrix SAN. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Effect of styrene–isoprene–styrene,styrene–butadiene–styrene,and styrene–butadiene–rubber on the mechanical,thermal, rheological,and morphological properties of polypropylene/polystyrene blends

The mechanical, thermal, rheological, and morphological properties of polypropylene (PP)/polystyrene (PS) blends compatibilized with styrene–isoprene–styrene (SIS), styrene–butadiene–styrene (SBS), and styrene–butadiene–rubber (SBR) were studied. The incompatible PP and PS phases were effectively dispersed by the addition of SIS, SBS, and SBR as compatibilizers. The PP/PS blends were mechanically evaluated in terms of the impact strength, ductility, and tensile yield stress to determine the influence of the compatibilizers on the performance properties of these materials. SIS‐ and SBS‐compatibilized blends showed significantly improved impact strength and ductility in comparison with SBR‐compatibilized blends over the entire range of compatibilizer concentrations. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated compatibility between the components upon the addition of SIS, SBS, and SBR by the appearance of shifts in the melt peak of PP toward the melting range of PS. The melt viscosity and storage modulus of the blends depended on the composition, type, and amount of compatibilizer. Scanning electron microscopy images confirmed the compatibility between the PP and PS components in the presence of SIS, SBS, and SBR by showing finer phase domains. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 266–277, 2003     

Thermal aging of bisphenol-A polycarbonate/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene blends

Thermal aging of immiscible bisphenol-A polycarbonate/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (PC/ABS) blends containing 25, 60, and 75% PC and the PC and ABS blend components have been studied. Changes in Izod impact properties and dynamic mechanical spectra are reported following aging at 90, 110, and 130°C for times up to 1500 h. PC/ABS blends containing 60 and 75% PC were found to retain high impact performance following aging at elevated temperatures, compared to the PC blend component. Dynamic mechanical spectroscopy is an effective probe for investigating the structure–property changes occurring and the mechanisms of aging. For PC and ABS, the changes were mainly due to physical aging of the amorphous polymers when aged below the glass-transition temperature. For the PC/ABS blends, oxidative degradation additionally contributes to loss of toughness. Although structure–property changes are related to the behavior of the blend components, additional factors of potential importance for multiphase polymer–polymer systems have been identified, including a redistribution of stabilizers during the blend manufacture. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.