Effect of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) on β-nucleation in β-nucleated polypropylene/ABS blends

beta-PP/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) blends were prepared with PP, ABS and a novel supported beta-nucleating agent or beta-PP and ABS. The effect of ABS on the beta-nucleation of PP and crystallization and melting behavior of beta-PP/ABS blends were investigated by differential scanning calorimeter, wide angle X-ray diffraction, and polarized light microscopy. Results suggested that addition of low content of ABS has no effect on the beta-nucleation of PP and crystallization behavior, and melting characteristic of beta-PP/ABS blends. However, the increasing content of ABS decreases the beta-nucleation, crystallization temperatures, and spherulite size of PP in the blends. However, the blends with the beta-PP content above 80 % were obtained at the content of ABS below 40 %.