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Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)

Description

ABS (Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) is tough, resilient, and easily molded. It is usually opaque, although some grades can now be transparent, and it can be given vivid colors. ABS-PVC alloys are tougher than standard ABS and, in self-extinguishing grades, are used for the casings of power tools.

(CH2-CH-C6H4)n

The picture says a lot: ABS allows detailed moldings, accepts color well, and is non-toxic and tough enough to survive the worst that children can do to it.

GENERAL PROPERTIES
Density	1010	-	1210	kg/m^3
Price	2.511	-	2.952	USD/kg

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
Young's modulus	1.1	-	2.9	GPa
Shear modulus	0.3189	-	1.032	GPa
Bulk modulus	3.8	-	4	GPa
Poisson's ratio	0.3908	-	0.422
Yield strength (elastic limit)	18.5	-	51	MPa
Tensile strength	27.6	-	55.2	MPa
Compressive strength	31	-	86.2	MPa
Elongation	1.5	-	100	%
Hardness - Vickers	5.6	-	15.3	HV
Fatigue strength at 10ˆ7 cycles	11.04	-	22.08	MPa
Fracture toughness	1.186	-	4.289	MP a.m^1/2
Mechanical loss coefficient	0.01379	-	0.04464

THERMAL PROPERTIES
Thermal conductor or insulator?	Good insulator
Thermal conductivity	0.188	-	0.335	W/m.K
Thermal expansion coefficient	84.6	-	234	µstrain/°C
Specific heat	1386	-	1919	J/kg.K
Glass temperature	87.85	-	127.9	°C
Maximum service temperature	61.85	-	76.85	°C
Minimum service temperature	-123.2	-	73.15	°C

ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
Electrical conductor or insulator?	Good insulator
Electrical Resistivity	3.3e21	-	3e22	µohm.cm
Dielectric constant (relative permittivity)	2.8	-	3.2
Dissipation factor (dielectric loss tangent)	3e-3	-	7e-3
Dielectric strength (dielectric breakdown)	13.8	-	21.7	1000000 V/m

OPTICAL PROPERTIES
Transparency	Opaque
Refractive Index	1.53	-	1.54

Eco properties, material production
Embodied energy	*91	-	102	MJ/kg
CO2 creation	*3.27	-	3.62	kg/kg

Eco properties, Processing
Polymer Molding Energy	10.62	-	12.99	MJ/kg
Polymer Extrusion Energy	3.719	-	4.545	MJ/kg

Eco properties, recycling and disposal
Recycle	True
Downcycle	True
Combust for energy recovery	True
Biodegrade	False
Landfill	True
A renewable resource?	False

Recycle mark


Environmental notes
The acrylonitrile monomer is nasty stuff, almost as poisonous as cyanide. Once polymerized with styrene it becomes harmless. ABS if FDA compliant, can be recycled, and can be incinerated to recover the energy it contains.

processability (scale 1=impractical to 5=excellent)
Castability	1	-	2
Moldability	4	-	5
Machinability	3	-	4
Weldability	5

durablity
Flammability	Flammable
Fresh water	Very Good
Salt water	Very Good
Weak acids	Good
Strong acids	Average
Weak alkalis	Good
Strong alkalis	Good
Organic solvents	Poor
Sunlight (UV radiation)	Average
Oxidation at 500C	Very Poor

Supporting information
Design guidelines
ABS has the highest impact resistance of all polymers. It takes color well. Integral metallics are possible (as in GE Plastics' Magix.) ABS is UV resistant for outdoor application if stabilizers are added. It is hygroscopic (may need to be oven dried before thermoforming) and can be damaged by petroleum-based machining oils. ASA (acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile) has very high gloss; its natural color is off-white but others are available. It has good chemical and temperature resistance and high impact resistance at low temperatures. UL-approved grades are available. SAN (styrene-acrylonitrile) has the good processing attributes of polystyrene but greater strength, stiffness, toughness, and chemical and heat resistance. By adding glass fiber the rigidity can be increased dramatically. It is transparent (over 90% in the visible range but less for UV light) and has good color, depending on the amount of acrylonitrile that is added this can vary from water white to pale yellow, but without a protective coating, sunlight causes yellowing and loss of strength, slowed by UV stabilizers. All three can be extruded, compression molded or formed to sheet that is then vacuum thermo-formed. They can be joined by ultrasonic or hot-plate welding, or bonded with polyester, epoxy, isocyanate or nitrile-phenolic adhesives.

Technical notes
ABS is a terpolymer - one made by copolymerizing 3 monomers: acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene. The acrylonitrile gives thermal and chemical resistance, rubber-like butadiene gives ductility and strength, the styrene gives a glossy surface, ease of machining and a lower cost. In ASA, the butadiene component (which gives poor UV resistance) is replaced by an acrylic ester. Without the addition of butyl, ABS becomes, SAN - a similar material with lower impact resistance or toughness. It is the stiffest of the thermoplastics and has excellent resistance to acids, alkalis, salts and many solvents.

Typical uses
Safety helmets; camper tops; automotive instrument panels and other interior components; pipe fittings; home-security devices and housings for small appliances; communications equipment; business machines; plumbing hardware; automobile grilles; wheel covers; mirror housings; refrigerator liners; luggage shells; tote trays; mower shrouds; boat hulls; large components for recreational vehicles; weather seals; glass beading; refrigerator breaker strips; conduit; pipe for drain-waste-vent (DWV) systems.

tradenames
Claradex, Comalloy, Cycogel, Cycolac, Hanalac, Lastilac, Lupos, Lustran ABS, Magnum, Multibase, Novodur, Polyfabs, Polylac, Porene, Ronfalin, Sinkral, Terluran, Toyolac, Tufrex, Ultrastyr

Links
Reference
ProcessUniverse
Producers

No warranty is given for the accuracy of this data. Values marked * are estimates.