Influence of the tert-dodecyl mercaptan content in poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) on properties of chlorinated polyvinyl chloride/poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) blends.

A series of poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS) grafting modifiers were synthesized by emulsion grafting poly(acrylonitrile-styrene) (SAN) copolymer onto polybutadiene (PB) latex rubber particles. The chain transfer reagent tert-dodecyl mercaptan (TDDM) was used to regulate the grafting degree of ABS and the molecular weight of SAN copolymers. By blending these ABS modifiers with Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) resin, a series of CPVC/ABS blends were obtained. The morphology, compatibility, and the mechanical properties of CPVC/ABS blends were investigated. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies showed that the ABS domain all uniformly dispersed in CPVC matrix. Dynamic mechanical analyses (DMA) results showed that the compatibility between CPVC and SAN became enhanced with the TDDM content. From the mechanical properties study of the CPVC/ABS blends, it was revealed that the impact strength first increases and then decreases with the TDDM content, which means that the compatibility between CPVC and the SAN was not the only requirement for maximizing toughness. The decreasing of tensile strength and the elongations might attribute to the lower entanglement between chains of CPVC and SAN. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]