ABS Molding
ABS
Generic Class
ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene)
Typical Applications
Automotive (instrument and interior trim panels, glove compartment doors, wheel covers, mirror housings, etc.), refrigerators, small appliance housings and power tools applications (hair dryers, blenders, food processors, lawnmowers, etc.), telephone housings, typewriter housings, typewriter keys, and recreational vehicles such as golf carts and jet skis.
Injection Molding Processing Conditions
|
Drying |
ABS resins are hygroscopic and drying is required prior to processing. Suggested drying conditions are 80 - 90 C (176 - 195 F) for a minimum of 2 hours. Resin moisture content should be less than 0.1% |
|
Melt Temperature |
200 - 280 C (392 - 536 F); Aim: 230 C (446 F) |
|
Mold Temperature |
25 - 80 C (77 - 176 F). (Mold temperatures control the gloss properties; lower mold temperatures produce lower gloss levels) |
|
Resin Injection Pressure |
500 - 1,000 bar (7,250 - 14,500 psi) |
|
Injection Speed |
Moderate - high |
Chemical and Physical Properties
ABS is produced by a combination of three monomers: acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene. Each of the monomers impart different properties: hardness, chemical and heat resistance from acrylonitrile; processibility, gloss, and strength from styrene; and toughness and impact resistance from butadiene. Morphologically, ABS is an amorphous resin.
The polymerization of the three monomers produces a terpolymer which has two phases: a continuous phase of styrene-acrylonitrile (SAN) and a dispersed phase of polybutadiene rubber. The properties of ABS are affected by the ratios of the monomers and molecular structure of the two phases. This allows a good deal of flexibility in product design and consequently, there are hundreds of grades available in the market. Commercially available grades offer different characteristics such as medium to high impact, low to high surface gloss, and high heat distortion.
ABS offers superior processibility, appearance, low creep and excellent dimensional stability, and high impact strength.
Major Manufacturers
Dow Chemical (Magnum grades), GE Plastics (Cycolac), Bayer (Lustran), BASF (Terluran), Chi Mei (Polylac), LG Chemical (Lupos), Cheil Synthesis.