Mechanical, viscoelastic and sorption behaviour of acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene composites with 0D and 1D nanofillers

This work presents an investigation on the morphology, mechanical, viscoelastic and transport properties of acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) nanocomposites reinforced with nanosilica (NS) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The nanofillers content was varied from 1 to 5 wt%. Morphological and mechanical investigations revealed a better dispersion and effective stress transfer in carboxyl- treated MWCNT composites with respect to silane-treated NS. The highest values of tensile strength and Young’s modulus were reached for 5 wt% of MWCNT. Theo- retical modelling of elastic modulus of the composites with carbon nanotubes (CNT) was in good agreement with experimental data. On the other hand, in the case of composites with NS an interfacial modulus of 2.5 GPa was assumed in the model to approach the experimental data. The highest value of storage modulus was reported at a MWCNT content of 5 wt% followed by 3 wt% which discloses the stiffening effect of long curly CNTs in comparison with NS. The damping behaviour indicated a lowering and broadening of tan δ peak induced by CNT. The storage modulus and damping behaviour of the nanocomposites were analysed using theoretical models in which aspect ratio, stiffening effect, adhesion and entanglement phenomena were included. The lowest solvent diffusivity and permeability was exhibited by compos- ite with MWCNT at 5 wt% owing to the tortuosity, higher adhesion and aspect ratio of the filler and revealed a decrement in permeability by 62% with regard to neat ABS.