Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) is an impact-resistant engineering thermoplastic. It is an amorphous polymer. It is made of three monomers: acrylonitrile, butadiene, and styrene.Much of the popularity is due to the versatility of the material. Being a thermoplastic material, it has a unique ability to become moldable at high temperatures and solidify at cooler temperatures without significant degradation from the thermal cycling. As a result, ABS can be molded and shaped into various forms, making it suitable for a wide range of applications, products, and prototyping.
ABS raw material’s original color is translucent ivory to white. ABS plastics takes colour easily, allowing finished products to be dyed in exact shades to meet precise project specifications.
Uses of ABS
- Pipes
- Fittings
- Keyboard keys
- LEGOs and 3D building materials
- Vacuum parts
- Refrigeration parts
- Faceguards
- Hard hats and helmets
- Decorative interior car parts
- Musical instruments
- Plastic children’s toys
- Kitchen utensils
- Office machines such as printers
The chemical formula of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene is (C8H8·C4H6·C3H3N)n.
Mechanical Properties of ABS
| Elongation at Break | 10 – 50 % |
| Elongation at Yield | 1.7 – 6 % |
| Flexibility (Flexural Modulus) | 1.6 – 2.4 GPa |
| Hardness Shore D | 100 |
| Stiffness (Flexural Modulus) | 1.6 – 2.4 GPa |
| Strength at Break (Tensile) | 29.8 – 43 MPa |
| Strength at Yield (Tensile) | 29.6 – 48 MPa |
| Toughness (Notched Izod Impact at Room Temperature) | 200 – 215 J/m |
| Toughness at Low Temperature (Notched Izod Impact at Low Temperature) | 20 – 160 J/m |
| Young Modulus | 1.79 – 3.2 GPa |
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