Correlation between carbon percentage and nanocomposite performance in commodity and engineering thermoplastics (ABS, HIPS, PP, and PC)

Abstract

In this study, the effect of graphene nanoplates (GNP) on the mechanical behavior of four engineering thermoplastics Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), High-Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), Polycarbonate (PC), and Polypropylene (PP) was systematically investigated. Although graphene nanoplates (GNP) have been extensively studied as reinforcing fillers for thermoplastic polymers, the performance of these materials varies greatly depending on the polymer matrix. Uncertainty about how the fundamental chemical composition, especially carbon percentage (C%), affects GNP dispersion and the ensuing mechanical performance is a major unsolved issue. By methodically linking the mechanical response of GNP-reinforced thermoplastics with the polymer carbon content, this study seeks to close this gap. A wide variety of carbon percentages and molecular structures were represented by the selection of four economically significant polymers: ABS, HIPS, PC, and PP. Melt compounding and injection molding were used to create composites with 0.7 weight% GNP. To assess the combined impacts of C% and GNP addition, the suggested approach combines elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and mechanical testing (hardness and impact strength), all of which are backed by a 2 × 4 factorial experimental design. The findings demonstrate that whereas HIPS experiences agglomeration and performance degradation, polymers with more advantageous chemical interactions, such ABS and PP, have better GNP dispersion and improved mechanical characteristics. The derived models' capacity to reliably relate mechanical behavior, GNP incorporation, and carbon percentage were validated by statistical analysis. These results offer a useful foundation for choosing thermoplastics for nanocomposites based on graphene.