Hybridization effect of talc/glass fiber as a filler in polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene composites

Abstract

The influence of filler content and type on the mechanical, morphological and rheological properties of polycarbonate (PC)/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) was investigated in this work. High aspect ratio fibrous reinforcement (glass fiber) and lamellar filler (talc) were selected as mineral fillers. These fillers were added to PC/ABS blend solely or in blended compositions at different weight percentages to develop hybrid composites. Composites of PC/ABS, talc and glass fiber were compounded by utilizing a co-rotating twin screw extruder. Test specimens were produced from the developed composites by the injection molding process. Tensile strength, tensile strain, flexural strength, flexural strain, impact strength and melt flow index were determined for all composites. In the case of single mineral filler, it was concluded that the glass fiber was favourable for enhancing tensile and flexural strengths, but it deteriorated the impact strength. The addition of talc to pure PC/ABS blend improved the tensile strength but weakened the flexural and impact strengths. For hybrid composites, the highest tensile strength was obtained with the content of 10 wt% talc and 15 wt% glass fiber composition (PC/ABS10T+15GF). Hybrid composite including 7.5 wt% talc and 15 wt% glass fiber (PC/ABS+7.5T+15GF) gave the highest flexural strength among all hybrid composites. The highest impact strength among all hybrid composites was achieved with composite containing 7.5 wt% talc and 5 wt% glass fiber (PC/ABS+7.5T+5GF). The addition of talc or glass fiber to PC/ABS blend induced a reduction in MFI value and the drop was more dramatic with the incorporation of glass fiber as compared to talc. From morphological observation, glass fiber/matrix interfacial debonding, fiber breakage and pull-out glass fibers were detected on the fractured surfaces of composites. As a result, the addition of mineral fillers (talc or glass fiber) with suitable weight ratios enhanced the mechanical properties of pure PC/ABS blend.