Acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene colored with a nanoclay-based filler: mechanical, thermal and colorimetric properties

Talc is a potential filler for enhancing mechanical and thermal performance of polymers. In this study, a novel kind of filler based on black talc and dye (Direct contact 28) was synthesized and characterized. The stained black talc was filled into acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene at different content levels, and their mechanical, thermal and colorimetric properties were investigated. Furthermore, samples filled with talc were prepared in the same way. The particle size of stained black talc located both within and at the interface of acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene was larger than that of the talc which was ascribed to agglomeration. As black talc can increase toughness and strength of acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene in low filler loading, and the dye can improve compatibility between black talc and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene, so mechanical and thermal properties of stained black talc/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene have been enhanced. Within a certain amount of filler loading, acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene can be colored by stained black talc, and its color deepened as filler loading increased. However, it can absorb part of incident light as some filler existed in the form of solid particles in acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene matrix, which led to acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene dimmed with increment of filler loading. This filler achieved modification, filling, enhancement and colorability; the optimum filler concentrations were less than 10 wt%. This study opens a new approach to utilizing black talc and to fabricating polymer fillers.