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

Abstract

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.

Microencapsulated melamine phosphate via the sol-gel method and its application in halogen-free and intumescent flame-retarding acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer

“…The limiting oxygen index (LOI) tests were carried out by using an XZT-100A oxygen index test instrument (Chengde Jiande Test Instrument Co. Ltd, China) based on the standard LOI test ASTM D 2863-97. The dimensions of the specimens were 127 × 10 × 10 mm 3 .…”

“…Acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene copolymer (ABS) is a versatile thermoplastic engineering plastic which is extensively used in many fields, such as the electronics and electrical industry, traffic, construction, automobile parts, toys, office supplies etc . The application for ABS is mainly ascribed to its outstanding advantages in insulation, processing, shining surfaces, thermal stability, mechanical strength, resistance to oil, resistance to weather and improved impact strength .…”

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment: A Review on the Identification Methods for Polymeric Materials

“…The existence of partial miscibility between ABS and PC [44] constituted the premise recycling the mixed blend of polymers recovered from WEEE. To obtain ABS/PC composites (70:30) with a similar or higher impact strength than virgin ABS, it is necessary to use compatibilizers like ABS-g-MA, PP-g-MA, SEBS-g-MA, EVA-g-MA in a proportion of 1-20% [33,35,[44][45][46][47].…”

Melt processing and property testing of a model system of plastics contained in waste from electrical and electronic equipment

“…Also, Balart et al (2005) investigated the effect of previous degradation and partial miscibility of ABS/PC blends to their mechanical performance. Farzadfar et al (2013) compatibilised recycled PC and ABS using ABS-g-MAH and ethylene-vinyl-acetate-grafted-maleic anhydride (EVA-g-MAH) and observed that EVA-g-MAH increases the impact strength in comparison with ABS-g-MAH. Khan et al (2007) concluded that recycled PC can be used as an additive for virgin or recycled ABS, as a means of giving flame resistance to ABS in high-value applications.…”