Properties of flame-retarding blends of polycarbonate and poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene)

Limiting oxygen index (LOI) value, glass transition temperature (T_g), thermal degradation profile, morphology, and tensile strength and elongation at break of the flame-retarding polycarbonate (PC)-poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS) (7/3) blends were studied. The flame retardants used were huntite-hydromagnetite compounds (HHM), triphenyl phosphate (TPP), zinc stannate, and antimony trioxide. The LOI values were increased with the increase of TPP content, but they did not change significantly when the HHM was used as a flame retardant Glass transition temperatures of the flame-retarding PC-ABS (7/3) blends were decreased significantly when TPP was added to the blends. This is mainly due to the plasticizing effect of the TPP on the PC-ABS (7/3) blends. In the flame-retarding PC-ABS (7/3) blends, the LOI value, tensile strength, and elongation at break were measured and found to be 24.6 - 31.6%, 41.4 - 50.3 MPa, and 2.16 - 33.7%, respectively. These LOI values and mechanical properties were achieved when the TPP, zinc stannate, and antimony trioxide were used as flame retardants, and when dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid sodium salt and dimethylsulfone were used as additives into the PC-ABS (7/3) blends.