Enhanced mechanical and thermal properties of recycled ABS/nitrile rubber/nanofil N15 nanocomposites

Hybrid materials based on recycled acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (re-ABS) and nitrile rubber (NBR) upgraded by montmorrilonite nanofil 15 (N15) were prepared by melt processing. The morphology and structure of the nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. As revealed by SEM, NBR and N15 were homogeneously dispersed in the re-ABS matrix. The XRD and TEM studies demonstrated that N15 was mainly located in the re-ABS matrix in the form of an intercalated-exfoliated mixed structure that led to an increase of the melting viscosity of the materials. The mechanical properties of the nanocomposites showed a good balance when adding 1 phr (parts per hundred parts of resin) of N15 into the re-ABS/NBR (90/10) blend. Furthermore, the thermal stability of the nanocomposites was also improved in the presence of NBR and N15.