Influence of styrene-acrylonitrile oligomers on the properties of ABS graft copolymers

• Published in: European polymer journal Vol. 29; no. 5; pp. 727 - 730
• Main Authors: Schellenberg, Juergen, Hamann, Bernd
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.05.1993; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Mechanical properties; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Properties and characterization; SAN; Property composition relationship; Mechanical properties; Experimental study; Melt index; Oligomer; Glass transition temperature; Mixture; Tensile strength; Bending strength; ABS; Impact strength; Rheological properties
• ISSN: 0014-3057; 1873-1945
• DOI: 10.1016/0014-3057(93)90135-3

Oligomers of styrene and acrylonitrile were isolated from solvent-monomer mixtures of a bulk/solution polymerization; they were characterized. There was a study of the influence of these oligomers on thermal, mechanical and processing properties of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) graft copolymers. The relation between T g and the oligomer concentration was examined both for the poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) phase of the ABS graft copolymer and the rubber-free polymer. Tests on the equations of Fox, Pochan, Gordon-Taylor and Couchman showed that the last gave the best agreement with experimental results. A maximum of the notched impact resistance and a relatively constant flexural strength of the ABS graft copolymers were found for oligomer concentrations up to 2.5 wt%. The tensile strength decreases and the melt flow index of the graft copolymers increases particularly at concentrations above 1.5 wt% of oligomers.