Effect of the Free Quenching on Mechanical and Thermomechanical Properties of ABS

The purpose of this work was to investigate the influence of thermal annealing and quenching on mechanical, and thermomechanical properties of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The free quenching was applied over a temperature range starting from a temperature slightly above T g to temperatures below 0°C. The improvement of the impact strength is linked to the cavitation of the rubber particles close to the samples surface. The existence of a relaxation mode located around–10°C may participate to the relaxation of the residual stresses when the sample is quenched under 0°C, this phenomenon would promote cavitation.