Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene composites reinforced with nanozirconia and PTFE: Mechanical and thermal behavior

Abstract

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene composites reinforced with varying contents of PTFE and nanozirconia have been prepared by employing twin screw extrusion technique followed by compression molding. Mechanical properties such as hardness, tensile strength, tensile modulus, elongation at break, impact strength, flexural strength, and flexural modulus have been determined by conducting various mechanical tests according to corresponding ASTM test standards. Thermogravetic analysis (TG/DTA) has been carried out so as to study the thermal stability of the composites. Viscoelastic behavior of composites has been studied using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). The results show that addition of nanoparticles has a positive influence on tensile and flexural behavior with appreciable reduction in impact strength. Addition of PTFE enhances the toughness of the materials, however other mechanical properties such as tensile strength and modulus decreases. Fractographs of the composites have been studied in Scanning Electron Microscope. TGA curves show that addition of both PTFE and nanozirconia improves the thermal stability of the composites. DMA studies reveal that addition of nanozirconia improves stiffness with reduction of damping properties, while addition of PTFE results in decrease of storage modulus. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E1520–E1530, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers