Study on the surface properties of colored talc filler (CTF) and mechanical performance of CTF/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene composite

In this work, a novel colored talc filler (CTF) was prepared, and its surface properties were subsequently studied and compared to those of talc filler (TF) using inverse gas chromatography (IGC) and contact angle measurement. The mechanical properties of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) composites filled with CTF and TF were investigated as well. The results indicated that the dispersive component (gDS) for both samples contributed the major part of the total surface energy (gTS). The values determined by the contact angle methods were consistent, although lower than those using IGC analysis. Compared to gDS, the polar component (gSPS) contributed less to gTS, implying a lower polarity for both samples. The gSPS values calculated by the contact angle methods were also consistent and lower than those calculated using IGC. The lower gTS value for CTF could reduce filler particle-particle interactions, allowing a better dispersion in ABS matrix, and thus leading to an increase in ABS/CTF composite performance.