Structure‐property relationships in polyamide/acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS) blends

Abstract

Abstract The structures and physical properties of four blends of poly(acrylonitrile‐co‐styrene‐g‐butadiene) (ABS) materials with polycaprolactam (PA6) have been characterized. The blends were separated into components by selective solvent extraction and were found to contain different structures: Blend A contained no PA6 grafts. Blend B contained PA6 grafted onto both soluble and insoluble ABS. Blend C contained PA6 grafted onto soluble poly(styrene‐co‐acrylonitrile) (p‐SAN). In Blend D, PA6 was grafted onto both the insoluble ABS and the p‐SAN phases. Transmission electron microscopy showed different morphologies in the blends. Blend A had a co‐continuous, somewhat laminar structure, while Blend D consisted of an ABS phase dispersed in a PA6 continuum. Blends B and C had intermediate structures. All four blends, however, had very similar rheological and physical properties despite the variation in structure.