ABS polystyrene or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene is a thermoplastic polymer or tripolymer (triple polymer) with an amorphous structure that is a component of thermoplastic plastics. It’s actually a low-cost, high-performance engineering plastic.
What is polystyrene ABS?
Boutadine styrene with butadiene-enhanced biotadine is produced from the polymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile in the presence of polybutadine. In the structure of polystyrene, styrene causes better formability and greater hardness, acrylonitrile increases heat resistance, and chemical and butadiene reactions enhance compressive and stiffness.
Advantages and disadvantages of ABS polystyrene
The advantages of this material include scratch resistance, high dimensional stability and good chemical and thermal resistance, high impact resistance and good resistance to stress cracking.
Disadvantages include poor resistance to weather and flame, high moisture absorption, different flow properties in different species, and lack of transparency due to the presence of butadiene in its structure. Although lack of transparency is one of the disadvantages of this material, it should be noted that this material is available in all colors.
ABS polystyrene applications
Due to its balanced mechanical, thermal and chemical properties, this material is widely used in various sectors of the industry, for example in enclosures and coatings, in the manufacture of models and prototypes, welding, in pipelines for transporting petroleum products, home appliances and furniture, in Injection and inflatable molds, extrusion, vacuum, are used in the body of household appliances, vacuum cleaners, tea makers, helmets, toys, luggage, shoe heels, golf club heads, sports equipment, automotive equipment, telephone and electrical equipment.