Relationship between the interfacial tension and compatibility of polycarbonate and poly(acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene) blends with reactive compatibilizers

We studied the morphological, mechanical, and rheological properties of polycarbonate (PC) and poly(acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene) (PolyABS) blends with different types of compatibilizer. Styrene–acrylonitrile–maleic anhydride terpolymer (SAM) was used as a compatibilizer of the blends. For comparison, styrene–acrylonitrile–glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer (SAG) was also used as a compatibilizer. For the PC–PolyABS (70/30 wt %) blends with SAM, the mechanical strength and complex viscosity reached a maximum when the SAM concentration was 5 phr. The mechanical and rheological results of the blend were consistent with the morphological result that the PolyABS domain size reached a minimum when the SAM content was 5 phr. The interfacial tension (α) of the blend was compared with the compatibilizer type and content, which were calculated by the Palierne emulsion model with the relaxation time of the PC–PolyABS blend. The α is consistent with the morphological and mechanical properties of the PC–PolyABS blend. The results of the morphological, mechanical, and rheological properties of the blend suggest that SAM was a more effective compatibilizer than SAG, and the optimum compatibilizer content of SAM was 5 phr.