Surface modified hollow glass microsphere reinforced 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blends: influence on rheological, mechanical, and thermo-mechanical properties

ABSTRACT

In this work, the surface modification of hollow glass microsphere (H.G.M) is done through hydroxylation reaction and silanization reaction for attaching hydroxyl (OH) and amine (NH₂) functional groups, respectively. The H.G.M and surface-modified H.G.M are melt-mixed using a twin-screw extruder to process 70/30 (wt/wt) polycarbonate (P.C)/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (A.B.S) blends and its composites followed by injection moulding. Plasticization of the P.C phase is observed due to H.G.M-OH interaction with P.C phase. While there is the formation of aminolysis compound due to melt-interfacial reaction between H.G.M-NH₂ and P.C phase. Scanning electron microscope (S.E.M) observation shows the formation of matrix-droplet morphology for all the compositions of H.G.M and surface-modified H.G.M-filled 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blend and its composites. However, the incorporation of H.G.M and surface-modified H.G.M in 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blend improved the processability as observed from rheological characterization. Surface-modified H.G.M influences the glass transition temperature (T_g) of the P.C phase of 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blend. Among H.G.M-OH and H.G.M-NH₂-filled 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blend; the H.G.M-NH₂-filled 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blend shows the highest improvement in flexural and impact properties. In addition, the fracture mechanism of H.G.M and surface-modified H.G.M-filled 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blend and its composites under flexural and impact loading are proposed with the help of S.E.M fracture surface images.

Graphical abstract

KEYWORDS:

• Polycarbonate (P.C)
• blends
• hollow glass microsphere (H.G.M)
• composites

Acknowledgments

The author thanks the funding support from RGEMS, VIT-AP University, AP, India.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Figure 11