Effect of functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes on thermal and mechanical properties of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene nanocomposite

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer is used in different areas of engineering based applications, especially in the aviation and automobile industry. It is highly desirable to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of this polymer to enhance its current applicability and to widen its scope for variety of advanced applications. Fabrication of polymer nanocomposite by reinforcing the polymer with nanofiller is one of the key techniques used worldwide to enhance the properties of polymer. In this paper, we have fabricated nanocomposite of ABS using facile solution blending technique with functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) as nanofiller. The weight of functionalized MWCNT in ABS was varied from 1 wt% to 5 wt%. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-Ray diffraction (XRD) were used for characterization of functional group and structural analysis in functionalized MWCNT. The distribution and confirmation of functionalized MWCNT in ABS was analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and Raman spectroscopy. Thermal characterization showed considerable improvement in thermal degradation stability and significant reduction in thermal expansion of ABS nanocomposite in comparison to pure ABS. Mechanical characterization using nanoindentation techniques also showed significant enhancement in mechanical properties of ABS nanocomposite in comparison to pure ABS. The 5 wt% nanocomposite showed improvement of 95% and 91% in elastic modulus and hardness respectively in comparison to pure ABS. Dynamic mechanical properties average storage modulus and average hardness improved by 148% and 369% respectively for 5 wt% nanocomposite in comparison to pure ABS. These improved thermal and mechanical properties of ABS using functionalized MWCNT will lead to wider and enhanced applicability of ABS.