Polycarbonate and co-continuous polycarbonate/ABS blends: influence of specimen thickness

The influence of specimen thickness on the fracture behaviour of polycarbonate (PC) and co-continuous PC/ABS (50/50) blends was studied in single edge notch tensile tests at 1 m/s and different temperatures (−80 to 130 °C). Specimen thickness ranged from 0.1 to 8 mm. In the co-continuous PC/ABS blends the rubber concentration in the ABS was 0, 15 and 30 wt%. The change in fracture toughness was typified by the change in brittle-to-ductile transition temperature (Tbd). Tbd of pure PC depended strongly on specimen thickness, leading to very low transition temperatures for thin PC specimens. PC/ABS 0%, a 50/50 blend of PC and SAN (i.e. ABS without polybutadiene (PB)), was a brittle blend and showed a very high Tbd close to the Tg of SAN. Tbd did not seem to be influenced by specimen thickness. PC/ABS blends with 15 and 30% PB in ABS showed improved Tbd compared to PC/SAN and PC, indicating effective rubber toughening. Tbd decreased with decreasing thickness for PC/ABS specimens thicker than 1.5 mm. However, Tbd increased with decreasing thickness for specimens below 1.5 mm thickness. In thin specimens, the rubber-filled blend is less effective rubber toughening. The plane strain stress condition needed for rubber cavitation is apparently not present in thin specimens.