Influence of aspect ratio of fillers on the properties of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene composites

Aspect ratio (shape) of the filler is one of the key factors which play a vital role in determining the properties of the composites. Fillers like talc and calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) have different aspect ratios and affect the properties differently. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of aspect ratio of the filler on the properties of the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer. The rheological, mechanical, thermal properties, and fracture morphology were studied for the ABS composites filled with talc and CaCO₃ at various filler loading. Coupling agent was added to improve the interfacial adhesion between the filler and the ABS matrix. The aspect ratio of fillers affected the flow behavior at lower shear rate, and was insignificant at higher shear rates. The flow‐induced morphology was more effective in case of talc giving a significant increase in the bending modulus. Tensile and flexural strength showed a slight decrease in the values with talc showing better performance as compared to CaCO₃. The reverse was observed in case of impact strength, with CaCO₃ showing lower drop in the values. Aspect ratio of filler had no significant effect on the thermal properties of the composites. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 46023.