Acrylonitrile-butadiene-polystyrene polymer

Fig. 1. Process flow sheet for the continuous conversion of latex in a counterrotating, tangential twin-screw extruder as it might be arranged for the production of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymer (Nichols and Kheradi, 1982). Polystyrene (or styrene-acrylonitrile) melt is fed upstream of the reactor zone where the coagulation reaction takes place. Washing (countercurrent liquid-liquid extraction) and solids separation are conducted in zones immediately downstream of the reactor zone. The remainii zones are reserved for devolatilization and pumping.

Characteristic functions and the representative structures of plastics additives providing marketable and durable materials are included in this chapter. Types of additives for plastics used in contact with food are listed in Table 3-1. Similar additives as for PS are used for elastomer-modified plastics forming multilayer systems (blends) and used rather exceptionally in contact with food, such as high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) or acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymer (ABS). Some of the additives, stabilizers in particular, are very reactive and are present in the plastic matrix in a chemically transformed form. 

Craze formation is a dominant mechanism in the toughening of glassy polymers by elastomers in polyblends. Examples are high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), impact poly(vinyl chloride), and ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) polymers. Polystyrene and styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) copolymers fracture at strains of 10 , whereas rubber-modified grades of these polymers (e.g., HIPS and ABS) form many crazes before breaking at strains around 0.5. Rubbery particles in... 

Ethylbenzene is a colorless aromatic liquid. It is only slightly soluble in water, but infinitely soluble in alcohol and ether. Additional properties are listed in Table 1. Ethylbenzene is chemically reactive with the most important reaction being its dehydrogenation to form styrene. Styrene is used to produce polystyrene, which is used in the manufacture of many commonly used products such as toys, household and kitchen appliances, plastic drinking cups, housings for computers and electronics, foam packaging, and insulation. In addition to polystyrene, styrene is used to produce acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymer (ABS), styrene-acrylonitrile polymer (SAN), and styrene-butadiene synthetic rubber (SBR). 

Styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers are produced commercially for use as structural plastics. The typical acrylonitrile content in such resins is between 20-30%. These materials have better solvent and oil resistance than polystyrene and a higher softening point. In addition, they exhibit better resistance to cracking and crazing and an enhanced impact strength. Although the acrylonitrile copolymers have enhanced properties over polystyrene, they are still inadequate for many applications. Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers, known as ABS resins, were therefore developed. 

In spite of some imeertainties in the individual steps of the HAS meehanism in polymer stabilization due to the speerfie effeets of the polymer matrix and the environmental stress, the HAS-based nitroxides are eonsidered the key intermediate in the HAS reaetivity meehanism. Detection and quantification of the formed nitroxides using ESRI spectroscopic technique has been exploited for confirmation of the primary transformation step in HAS mechanism [15, 16, 20], as a consequence of interactions of HAS with oxygenated radical and molecular products of polyolefins (5). Monitoring of the nitroxide development enables tracing of the oxidation process within the polymer matrix. Consequently it is also a tool for marking the heterogeneity of the oxidative transformation of semicrystalline carbon chain polymers [polypropylene (PP), polyethylenes (PE)] or amorphous polymers [copolymers of ethylene with norbomene, polystyrene (PS), high impart polystyrene (HIPS), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymer (ABS)]. 

Later on, acrylonitrile-butadiene-polystyrene (ABS) polymer was used as the support based on the same microencapsulation technique, and several alkenes. 

TBBPA has found use as a reactive flame retardant in the production of epoxy and polycarbonate resins added to circuit boards used in computers and in many other devices. In about 10% of cases TBBPA is used as an additive flame retardant, especially in the production of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers, polystyrene, papers, textiles, televisions, office equipment and others. 

In the case of poly(vinyl chloride) plastics, the FWA is mixed dry with the PVC powder before processing or dissolved in the plasticising agent (see Vinyl polymers). Polystyrene, acrylonitrile—butadiene—styrene (ABS), and polyolefin granulates are powdered with FWA prior to extmsion (2,78) (see... 

Over 70% of the total volume of thermoplastics is accounted for by the commodity resins polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) (1) (see Olefin polymers Styrene plastics Vinyl polymers). They are made in a variety of grades and because of their low cost are the first choice for a variety of appHcations. Next in performance and in cost are acryhcs, ceUulosics, and acrylonitrile—butadiene—styrene (ABS) terpolymers (see... 

Two commercially significant graft copolymers are acrylonitrile—butadiene—styrene (ABS) resins and impact polystyrene (IPS) plastics. Both of these families of materials were once simple mechanical polymer blends, but today such compositions are generally graft copolymers or blends of graft copolymers and homopolymers. 

Many common polymers, polymeric additives and lubricants oxidise so rapidly after impact in liquid oxygen that they are hazardous. Of those tested, only acrylonitrile-butadiene, poly(cyanoethylsiloxane), poly(dimethylsiloxane) and polystyrene exploded after impact of 6.8-95 J intensity (5-70 ft.lbf). All plasticisers (except dibutyl sebacate) and antioxidants examined were very reactive. A theoretical treatment of rates of energy absorption and transfer is included [1], Previously, many resins and lubricants had been examined similarly, and 35 were found acceptable in liquid oxygen systems [2],... 

Emulsion polymerization is used for 10-15% of global polymer production, including such industrially important polymers as poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS), polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate), and poly (vinyl acetate) [196]. These are made from aqueous solutions with high concentrations of suspended solids. The important components have unsaturated carbon-carbon double bonds. Raman spectroscopy is well-suited to address these challenges, though the heterogeneity of the mixture sometimes presents challenges. New sample interfaces, such as WAI and transmission mode, that have shown promise in pharmaceutical suspensions are anticipated to help here also. 

Polycarbonate is blended with a number of polymers including PET, PBT, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer (ABS) rubber, and styrene-maleic anhydride (SMA) copolymer. The blends have lower costs compared to polycarbonate and, in addition, show some property improvement. PET and PBT impart better chemical resistance and processability, ABS imparts improved processability, and SMA imparts better retention of properties on aging at high temperature. Poly(phenylene oxide) blended with high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) (polybutadiene-gra/f-polystyrene) has improved toughness and processability. The impact strength of polyamides is improved by blending with an ethylene copolymer or ABS rubber. 

The term graft copolymer is used to describe copolymers with long sequences of another monomer (comonomer) as branches on the main polymer chain. Most commercial varieties of high-impact polystyrene (HIP) and copolymers of acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene (ABS) are graft copolymen in which the main polymer chain is polybutadiene and the branches are styrene, or styrene and acrylonitrile. Figure 1.12 shows various types of copolymers. 

Butadiene is used primarily in the production of synthetic rubbers, including styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), polybutadiene nibber (BR), styrene-butadiene latex (SBL), chloroprene rubber (CR) and nitrile rubber (NR). Important plastics containing butadiene as a monomeric component are shock-resistant polystyrene, a two-phase system consisting of polystyrene and polybutadiene ABS polymers consisting of acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene and a copolymer of methyl methacrylate, butadiene and styrene (MBS), which is used as a modifier for poly(vinyl chloride). It is also used as an intermediate in the production of chloroprene, adiponitrile and other basic petrochemicals. The worldwide use pattern for butadiene in 1981 was as follows (%) SBR + SBL, 56 BR, 22 CR, 6 NR, 4 ABS, 4 hexamethylenediamine, 4 other, 4. The use pattern for butadiene in the United States in 1995 was (%) SBR, 31 BR, 24 SBL, 13 CR, 4 ABS, 5 NR, 2 adiponitrile, 12 and other, 9 (Anon., 1996b). 

The polymers described above have been chemically pure, although physically helerodisperse. It is oflen possible lo combine two or more of these monomers in the same molecule to form a copolymer. This process produces still further modification of molecular properties and, in turn, modification of the physical properties of file product. Many commercial polymers are copolymers because of the blending of properties achieved in this way. For example, one of the important new polymers of the past ten years has been the family of copolymers of acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene, commonly called ABS resins. The production of these materials has grown rapidly in a short period of time because of their combination of dimensional stability and high impact resistance. These properties are related to the impact resistance of acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber and the dimensional stability of polystyrene, which are joined in the same molecule. 

STYRENE. Styrene, CgH5CH=CH2, is the simplest and by far the most important member of a series of aromatic monomers. Also known commercially as styrene monomer (SM). styrene is produced in large quantities for polymerization. It is a versatile monomer extensively used for the manufacture of plastics, including crystalline polystyrene, rubber-modified impact polystyrene, expandable polystyrene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), styrene-acrylonitrile resins (SAN), styrene-butadiene latex, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR). and unsaturated polyester resins. See also Acrylonitrile Polymers. 

As of 1992, the first specialty platable plastic, acrylonitrile—butadiene—styrene (ABS) terpolymer (see Acrylonitrile polymers, abs resins), is used in over 90% of POP applications. Other platable plastics include poly(phenylene ether) (see Polyethers), nylon (see Polyamides), polysulfone (see Polymers containing sulfur), polypropylene, polycarbonate, phenolics (see Pphenolic resins), polycarbonate—ABS alloys, polyesters (qv), foamed polystyrene (see Styrene plastics), and other foamed plastics (qv). 

The growth of these materials is reflected in the number of polymers which are being glass reinforced. These include polypropylene, polystyrene, styrene acrylonitrile, nylon, polyethylene, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, modified polyphenylene oxide, polycarbonate, acetal, polysulfone, polyurethane, poly (vinyl chloride), and polyester. In addition, the reinforced thermoplastics available now include long-fiber compounds, short-fiber compounds, super concentrates for economy, a combination of long and short fibers, and blends of polymer and fibrous glass. 

PBBs were also widely used as flame retardant additives in polymer formulations, e.g., synthetic fibers, molded plastics and plastic housings also in the manufacture of polycarbonates, polyesters, polyolefins and polystyrenes. Nixed ABS polymers (acrylonitrile -butadiene - styrene), plastics, coatings and lacquers also contained added PBBs to enhance fire-retardancy. 

Another widely used copolymer is high impact polystyrene (PS-HI), which is formed by grafting polystyrene to polybutadiene. Again, if styrene and butadiene are randomly copolymerized, the resulting material is an elastomer called styrene-butadiene-rubber (SBR). Another classic example of copolymerization is the terpolymer acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS). Polymer blends belong to another family of polymeric materials which are made by mixing or blending two or more polymers to enhance the physical properties of each individual component. Common polymer blends include PP-PC, PVC-ABS, PE-PTFE and PC-ABS. 

Figure 7.1 Spectral image for an observation line across five different polymer samples with different sizes (left to right polystyrene, PS polyoxymethylene, POM high density polyethylene, PE-HD polypropylene, PP acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, ABS). The left-side image shows the two-dimensional grey-scale image as delivered from the spectral imaging system, the right-hand image shows it as a three-dimensional profile plot to illustrate the spectral content.

The technical and commercial success of high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) has led to a widespread research program on the use of rubbers as toughening agents for plastics. There is now an impressive 11st of rubber-toughened polymers including both amorphous and... 

To improve the properties of PLA, plasticizers, special additives such as chain-extenders, polymer blends, and composites are commonly investigated. Martin and Averous (10) have studied the effects of various plasticizers on the properties of PLA. Pilla et al. (11-12) have investigated the effects of chain-extenders on the foaming properties of PLA. In addition, a vast number of studies have been conducted to enhance the properties of PLA by blending it with various polymers such as polyethylene oxide (PEO), polypropylene oxide (PPO), polyvinyl acetate, polyolefins, polystyrene, HIPS (high impact polystyrene), polyacetals, polycarbonate, and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) (13-26). 

Note-. 2 - sufficient thermal stability and limited reactivity with polymer allows broad use, 1 = marginal thermal stability or potential reactivity with polymer restricts use, 0 = generally unsuitable for use. FPVC, Flexible Polyvinyl Chloride RPVC, Rigid Polyvinyl Chloride PS, Polystyrene LDPE, Low Density Polyethylene HDPE, High Density Polyethylene PP, Polypropylene ABS, Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer PET, Polyethylene terephthalate PA, Polyamide PC, Polycarbonate... 

---