PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PMMA-ABS BLENDS

Abstract

In order to achieve both the good stiffness and strength, PMMA-ABS blend have been developed. The physical and mechanical properties of PMMA-ABS blend were examined. It has been found that the experimental and theoretical densities of the blend matched perfectly. Rockwell hardness is found to decrease linearly with increasing the ratio of ABS in the blend as ABS is softer than PMMA. However, at ratio of 70% of ABS the hardness was less than that for pure ABS. This is may be due to the effect of partial immiscibility of the two polymers that can be noticed through the visual test. The mechanical properties, i.e. compressive and flexural strength of the blend, found to be enhanced, up to limit, with increasing the ratio of ABS. Moreover, for all these properties, the blend exhibits higher mechanical properties than that for its two constitutes. It has been found that the blend with the ratio of 55% ABS produces the best combination of the stiffness and the strength.