ABS ternary blends: Morphology, surface gloss, and mechanical properties

ABS/PMMA/PC (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene)/poly(methylmethacrylate)/bisphenol A polycarbonate) and ABS/PMMA/phenoxy ternary blends were prepared using a corotating twin-screw extruder, where the ABS content was fixed at 60% by weight, and the other ingredients varied 0 similar to 40%. Tensile modulus, yield strength, elongation at break, and notched impact strength varied linearly with compositions in ABS/PMMA/phenoxy blends, whereas positive synergisms of these properties were generally obtained with ABS/PMMA/PC blends. The results were interpreted in terms of interpositions of PMMA between ABS and PC, which were seen from the TEM micrographs and predicted from the spreading coefficient. Surface gloss of ABS increased in ABS/PMMA(60/40) blend but decreased in ternary blends, and this phenomenon was possibly explained by the pearl gloss mechanism.