Evaluation of four ABS resins by thermal analysis

Four new commercial grades of rubber toughened ABS (acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene) terpolymers were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mechanical analysis and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). These rubber toughened ABS molding compounds were manufactured by a new ''blended technology'' to yield resins which offer a broad range of flow properties and levels of toughness. Based upon DSC estimates of the level of rubber included, the four ABS compounds can be divided into two groups; the first has about 11 wt.% butadiene and the second near 18 wt. %. In addition, two styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers with different average molecular weights were found blended within each ABS group. By this blending process four resins are produced with impact strengths ranging from below three to near seven ft-lb in(-1). These analytical results show that a resin's impact strength is enhanced not only by increasing the level of rubber particles in a given ABS compound but also by raising the molecular weight of the SAN which is blended into the terpolymer.