Effect of Compatibilizers on the Morphological Properties of ABS and LCP Blends

Abstract

The blends of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer and liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) were prepared using a melt-blending technique in presence and absence of different types of nanosilica. The effect of Zn++ coated nanosilica on thermal, dynamic mechanical, and morphological properties of ABS/LCP blends was studied. The Zn++ coated nanosilica showed a significant effect on the above-mentioned properties of ABS/LCP blends by reacting at the interface between ABS and LCP. A substantial improvement in storage modulus of ABS/LCP blends was observed in presence of Zn++ coated nanosilica. Epoxy encapsulated nanosilica was also used as a compatibilizer in this blend system. It is known that the epoxy end group reacts with the LCP reacting groups. But in this case, we cannot find desirable results, may be due to the presence of ABS as the matrix. So Zn-ion-coated nanosilica proved to be better than that epoxy encapsulated nanosilica for the ABS/LCP containing blends. The SEM morphology also corroborates the above-mentioned argument.