The compatibilizer content effect on tensile and flexural properties of PC/ABS blends

Abstract

Abstract In this research, the effect of styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA), methyl methacrylate-butadiene–styrene (MBS) and maleic anhydride-grafted ABS (ABS-g-MAH) compatibilizer on thermal and mechanical properties of polycarbonate (PC) and poly(acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene) (ABS) blends were studied. PC/ABS blends samples with varying contents of compatibilizer were prepared. With the compatibilizer content increases, the results indicated that the effects of these three compatibilizers on PC/ABS blends are not exactly the same. When the SMA content increases from 5 to 20wt%, the impact strength reduced by about 76% from 43.24 kJ/m2 to 10.20 kJ/m2. The SEM picture indicated that when SMA content exceeds 5wt%, SMA resin begins to aggregate and leading to inadequate interfacial bonding between SMA and PC/ABS phases. The results showed that about 5wt% of ABS-g-MAH can improve the impact strength of the blends by about 113% and have little effect on the tensile and flexural properties. Similarly, when the MBS content reaches about 5wt%, the impact strength of PC/ABS blends is increased by about 112%, but as the MBS content increases to 20wt%, the tensile and flexural properties reduced by about 25%.