From Automotive to Consumer Electronics: Protecting ABS Across Industries

>> What is ABS plastic?

ABS is made from the copolymerization of three monomers, Acrylonitrile (A), Butadiene (B), and Styrene (S), and different combinations of properties can be obtained by adjusting the ratio of the three. Acrylonitrile provides chemical resistance and thermal stability, butadiene gives the material toughness, and styrene enhances processability and surface gloss.

>> What are the advantages of ABS material?

ABS itself is opaque, has good coloring properties, low molding difficulty, easy injection molding. Good mechanical properties, easy to process, non-toxic, tasteless and non-combustible, set of toughness and rigidity of the characteristics of a strong, molded products with a high surface finish, good aesthetic.

>> Main Applications of ABS

The largest applications of ABS are in the automotive, electrical and electronic, and machinery manufacturing fields. The use in the automobile field includes many parts such as automobile instrument panels, exterior body panels, interior trim panels, steering wheels, acoustic panels, bumpers, and ventilation ducts.

1. Automotive interior and exterior trim: Instrument panels, Instrument front covers, grilles, and interior and exterior trim parts.

2. Business equipment cases and built-in parts: laptop/desktop computers, copiers, printers, plotters, monitors.

3. Telecommunications, cell phone shells.

4. Electrical products, electronic product housings, meter covers and housings, household switches, plugs and sockets, cables and wiring ducts.

5. Household appliances, such as washing machines, hair dryers, microwave ovens inside and outside parts.

>> What causes the aging of ABS materials?

>Effects of Oxygen 

ABS plastics are exposed to oxygen in the natural environment, which leads to the generation of hydroperoxides in the molecular structure, triggering the degradation of the SAN phase and the formation of chromophores such as carbonyl groups.

>Effects of light and heat

When ABS materials are exposed to outdoor conditions for a long period, the double bond of polybutadiene in its structure generates hydroperoxides under the action of oxygen, which triggers the degradation of the SAN phase, resulting in the formation of carbonyl and other chromophores on the molecular chain, which leads to the yellowing and discoloration of ABS materials.

>> How to protect ABS materials from cracking, yellowing and brittleness?

UV absorber - “UV shield”

Like a sunscreen on the skin, it selectively absorbs high-energy UV rays (especially in the 290-400nm band) and converts them into harmless heat energy to be dissipated.

Light Stabilizers (HALS) - “Free Radical Scavengers”

Continuously capture UV-induced free radicals (e.g. alkyl radicals R-) by a “cyclic regeneration” mechanism, interrupting the chain reaction that leads to polymer chain breakage.

Antioxidant - “Thermal Processing and Long-term Thermal Oxygen Stabilizer”

Improves Processing Stability: Prevents thermal oxygen degradation and maintains melt strength and color during high temperatures in ABS pelletizing and injection molding.

Enhances Long-Term Thermal Stability: In outdoor use, synergizes with HALS to trap heat-induced peroxyl radicals and inhibit deep material thermo-oxidative aging.

OMNISTAB SOLUTIONS FOR ABS

UV ABSORBER

OMNISTAB UVP

OMNISTAB UV988

OMNISTAB UV1577

HALS

OMNISTAB UV4050H

OMNISTAB LS119

ANTIOXIDANT

OMNISTAB AN565

OMNISTAB AN3052

OMNISTAB AN9128