Chain Extension, Phase Interface Reparation and Mechanical Property of Recycled Acrylonitrile‐Butadiene‐Styrene by Epoxidized Styrene‐Butadiene‐Styrene

Abstract The demand for processing recycled acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene copolymer plastics (R‐ABS) grows fast. Herein, epoxidized styrene‐butadiene‐styrene (ESBS) with reactive groups including polybutadiene (PB) phase, epoxidized polybutadiene (EPB) phase and polystyrene phase is prepared by modifying SBS with an in situ peroxyformic acid method. Both chain extension and phase interface reparation of R‐ABS are successfully reported by simple melt blending. Compared with R‐ABS, when ESBS content is 15 wt%, the average molecular weight ( M w ) of the ESBS/R‐ABS is increased from 118.01 to 612.51 kDa. The particle size of the dispersed phase is decreased obviously. The compatibility between these two phases became better. The average notch impact strength of R‐ABS is 5.72 kJ m −2 . When the ESBS content is 15 wt%, the average notch impact strength of ESBS/R‐ABS reaches 13.90 kJ m −2 , which is increased by 143% compared with that of R‐ABS. The notch impact strength of ESBS/R‐ABS is close to that of virgin ABS. The reported high‐value usage of R‐ABS has a great potential for industrial‐scale applications.