INTRODUCTION
Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) is an amorphous polymer with good impact strength and excellent appearance. It is easy to process and is widely used for computer housings, small appliances, automotive interior trim, and medical components. ABS has poor chemical resistance.
4LAC® is the registered trade name for Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) compounds produced by 4PLAS. We offer a versatile and all-round cost effective product group, used across a broad range of industries and applications.
Many standard grades are available ex-stock with short manufacturing lead-times for customer specific products.
PROPERTIES
4LAC® compounds offer the following key properties:
- Excellent flammability resistance
- Good electrical properties
- Good scuff and abrasion resistance
- Excellent surface finish
- Low moisture absorption
- Good mechanical strength
- High dimensional stability - low warpage
- Excellent impact properties, even at low temperature
- Excellent flow and processing properties
PRODUCTS
The 4LAC® ABS standard range includes the following products:
- Prime: Black, white and solid colours
- Industrial: Standard black and white
- UV/ light stabilised
- Flame retardant including UL listed grades
- Range of melt flows
- Unreinforced
- Custom solid colours
- Impact modified
- Glass fibre reinforced
- Flame retardant including UL listed grades
- Heat stabilised
- Lubricated
- Surface modified
- UV/ light stabilised
- Laser markable
- 4TECH®
With the addition of a wide range of modifiers, stabilisers, speciality additives and customised colours, 4LAC® can be compounded as:
For individual grades or to search using a wide range of criteria please use our interactive material selector.
Our standard range is comprehensive, however should you not find what you are looking for within the data available on this website, we offer Custom Compounds to suit the requirements of specific applications.
If you would like advice on selecting suitable materials, or you cannot find what you are looking for, please contact us and one of our team will be pleased to assist you.
PACKAGING
4LAC® grades are supplied in pellet form and packed in moisture proof 25kg bags. Other forms of packaging such as octabins and big-bags are also available.
DRYING
For ABS compounds, moisture content should be less than 0.10% before processing. Pre-drying is not usually necessary if using a vented barrel. Otherwise 4LAC® grades should be dried at 80°C for 2 to 4 hours. Flame retardant grades should be dried at 80°C for 3 to 4 hours in desiccant driers prior to processing.
ABS is slightly hygroscopic and will absorb moisture from the environment, materials stored in open packs or containers should be dried at 80°C for a minimum of 2 hours. Temperatures above 95°C will result in discolouration and over drying can cause processing problems.
PROCESSING
4LAC® compounds can be processed on all commercial injection moulding machinery.
It is necessary to have precise temperature control for processing ABS compounds. The temperature of the nozzle is also very important in order to avoid thermal loss or overheating.
Short open nozzles are recommended to reduce shear. In general nozzle diameters should be 3 to 6mm.
For more information on this product, see our processing guides, troubleshooting guides and chemical resistance charts.
RECYCLING
Regrind levels up to 25% can be used depending on the application and requirements. However, for flame retardant grades a maximum 10% addition rate is recommended. Regrind should be free of contamination, should not be thermally degraded and must be dry as moulded, or be dried prior to reuse.
SAFETY
Under normal conditions 4LAC® is not a toxic or hazardous material. During processing preventative action should be taken to avoid direct contact with the polymer melt or inhalation of any gases produced. Processing temperatures above 320°C should be avoided. Detailed safety information can be found in our material safety data sheets (MSDS).