Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) is the largest-volume engineering thermoplastic resin. Traditionally, it has been positioned between commodity plastics, such as polystyrene (PS) and polypropylene (PP), and the higher-performing engineering thermoplastics, for example polycarbonate and polyurethane. However, ABS has been losing its price premium to the commodity plastics and competing with other plastics, displacing high impact PS and PP in a number of applications.
Due to its flexibility of composition and structure, ABS can exhibit a wide range of properties, allowing its use in diverse applications. ABS resins are composed of over 50% styrene and varying amounts of butadiene and acrylonitrile. Styrene provides rigidity and ease of processing, acrylonitrile offers chemical resistance and heat stability, and butadiene gives toughness and impact strength.
A growing outlet for ABS is the electronics industry where it is used in business machines, computers, radios, televisions and telephone handsets. An important market is the automobile sector where it is used in instrument panels, consoles, radiator grills, headlight housings and interior trim parts with growing use in recreational vehicles.
Other applications include domestic appliances such as refrigerators and sewing machines; pipes, fittings and other products used in the construction industry; and recreational goods such as boats and mobile homes.
ABS can be made into a wide variety of grades tailored for particular end uses. The polymer’s tensile strength and stiffness can be improved by using reinforcing agents and fillers such as glass fibre and minerals. Although ABS grades are usually opaque, transparent grades can be made by including methyl methacrylate as a monomer. The addition of alpha-methyl styrene can improve the heat resistance of ABS.
ABS alloys and blends with other polymers permit tailoring properties and costs. ABS/polycarbonate offers heat resistance with low-temperature impact strength and finds applications in automotive instrument panels and wheel covers, and safety and leisure products. ABS/polyvinyl chloride has good impact strength, toughness and flame retardancy, which is useful in electrical components, machine housings and appliances.
Most markets for ABS are mature, but it continues to find new applications. The market has evolved into a general purpose sector, for which cost and productivity are the most important factors, and an engineering plastics sector, which is generating most of the industry’s growth. It is in the latter sector where producers are trying to differentiate themselves.
Global demand for ABS is estimated by industry observers to grow at around 4-5%/year. Demand growth in western Europe and the US is put at GDP rates with central and eastern Europe about 1-2% higher. The strongest growth is in Asia at 5-8%/year, driven primarily by China. However, production cutbacks by the automotive industry will have a big impact on ABS demand.
The US market is mature and vulnerable to changes in economic conditions. Hence growth in the period 2005-2009 is estimated at 1.8%/year, according ICB Americas. Demand in the US will grow from 658,000 tonnes in 2005 to 708,000 tonnes in 2009. Imports in 2005 were 169,000 tonnes while exports amounted to 106,000 tonnes.
The Asian market represents around 70% of world ABS consumption with Chinese demand driving the region. According to China Chemical Reporter, Chinese ABS capacity reached 2m tonne/year in 2007 with output at 1.77m tonnes. Imports accounted for 2.17m tonnes to give an apparent demand of 3.9m tonnes in 2007.
A number of projects are under consideration in China. Projects include a 400,000 tonne/year plant being constructed by Tianjin Dagu Chemicals in Tianjin with a 2010 start-up. Liaoning Huajin Tongda Chemical is planning a 140,000 tonne/year plant in Liaoning for start-up in 2011.
Updated: October 2008. Sources: ICB Chemical Profile, 15 September 2008; ICB Americas Chemical Profile, 25 September 2006.
Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer
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