Study on the surface properties of colored talc filler (CTF) and mechanical performance of CTF/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene composite

• A novel colored talc filler (CTF) was prepared.
• Its surface properties were studied by IGC and contact angle measurement.
• The mechanical performance of ABS/CTF composites was investigated.

In this work, a novel colored talc filler (CTF) was prepared, and its surface properties were subsequently studied and compared to those of talc filler (TF) using inverse gas chromatography (IGC) and contact angle measurement. The mechanical properties of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) composites filled with CTF and TF were investigated as well. The results indicated that the dispersive component (γSD) for both samples contributed the major part of the total surface energy (γST). The values determined by the contact angle methods were consistent, although lower than those using IGC analysis. Compared to γSD, the polar component (γSSP) contributed less to γST, implying a lower polarity for both samples. The γSSP values calculated by the contact angle methods were also consistent and lower than those calculated using IGC. The lower γST value for CTF could reduce filler particle-particle interactions, allowing a better dispersion in ABS matrix, and thus leading to an increase in ABS/CTF composite performance.