Surface modified hollow glass microsphere reinforced 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blends: influence on rheological, mechanical, and thermo-mechanical properties

In this work, the surface modification of hollow glass microsphere (H.G.M) is done through hydroxylation reaction and silanization reaction for attaching hydroxyl (OH) and amine (NH2) functional groups, respectively. The H.G.M and surface-modified H.G.M are melt-mixed using a twin-screw extruder to process 70/30 (wt/wt) polycarbonate (P.C)/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (A.B.S) blends and its composites followed by injection moulding. Plasticization of the P.C phase is observed due to H.G.M-OH interaction with P.C phase. While there is the formation of aminolysis compound due to melt-interfacial reaction between H.G.M-NH2 and P.C phase. Scanning electron microscope (S.E.M) observation shows the formation of matrix-droplet morphology for all the compositions of H.G.M and surface-modified H.G.M-filled 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blend and its composites. However, the incorporation of H.G.M and surface-modified H.G.M in 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blend improved the processability as observed from rheological characterization. Surface-modified H.G.M influences the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the P.C phase of 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blend. Among H.G.M-OH and H.G.M-NH2-filled 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blend; the H.G.M-NH2-filled 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blend shows the highest improvement in flexural and impact properties. In addition, the fracture mechanism of H.G.M and surface-modified H.G.M-filled 70/30 (wt/wt) P.C/A.B.S blend and its composites under flexural and impact loading are proposed with the help of S.E.M fracture surface images.