Recycling of ABS and ABS/PC blends

Abstract

The aim of this work within the frame of mechanical recycling of polymers is upgrading recycled engineering plastics by means of blending technique. Four different plastics from dismantled Volvo cars have been investigated. They are ABS and ABS/PC as major components, PMMA and PA as minor components. Blending recycled ABS and PC/ABS (70/30) with small amount of MBS core-shell impact modifiers gives the mixture better impact properties than any of their individual components. Some 10% of PMMA from tail light housings can follow the PC/ABS blends made. The property profile will rather be improved. However, PA is an incompatible component that should be sorted out from the mixture. Antioxidant and metal deactivator do not help the recyclates to show better mechanical properties. Two toughness measurements, Charpy impact strength and J-integral method show complimentary results for such blends.