TITLE:
Effect of Methyl Methacrylate– Acrylonitrile -Butadiene–Styrene (MABS) on the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) (PMMA)-Fly Ash Cenospheres (FAC) Filled Composites
AUTHORS:
M. B. Kulkarni, P. A. Mahanwar
KEYWORDS:
Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) (PMMA), Fly ash cenospheres (FAC), Methyl methacrylate– acrylonitrile -butadiene–styrene (MABS), Mechanical and Thermal Properties.
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering,
Vol.11 No.4,
April
20,
2012
ABSTRACT: With the advent of plastics and the wide range of fillers that are available have made modifications as precise as the tailored resins themselves. To modify the properties of polymer either by using fillers or by preparation of polymer blends gives rise to new materials with tailored properties. More complex, three-component systems, obtained by the addition of polymeric modifier to polymer filled composites may be of interest. Use of Fly ash cenospheres is very attractive because it is inexpensive and its use can reduce the environmental pollution to a significant extent. In the present study, Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) (PMMA)-Fly ash cenospheres composites were prepared using extrusion followed by Injection molding. The effect of matrix modification with Methyl methacrylate– acrylonitrile -butadiene–styrene (MABS) on the performance of PMMA- Fly ash cenospheres compositions was also, studied. It was found that with the addition of Fly ash cenospheres particulate as filler in PMMA showed marginal reduction in Tensile Strength, % Elongation and Impact strength and improvement in Flexural Strength, Heat Deflection Temperature and Vicat Softening Point. Compared with PMMA-cenospheres composites, the notched Impact Strength of the PMMA/MABS/cenospheres composites showed marginal enhancement in values at higher loading of cenospheres. The optimum performances in mechanical and thermal properties were obtained when the ratio of MABS to cenospheres was 1:2.