4/15/2022

Impact Modifiers for Polymers

Impact modifiers are a highly useful compound to put in your plastic resins. They are added to increase the toughness and durability of the plastic resins being produced. The amount of impact resistance you’re looking for will dictate how much of the impact modifier needs to be added.

Let’s look at the levels of toughness impact modifiers can provide in a plastic resin

Levels of toughness from impact modifiers

Depending on how much of an impact modifier you include in a plastic resin, the level of toughness and durability will change. You can save money and time by using the correct amount of impact modifiers, as in not using more than you need for a certain application.

General-purpose impact modification

General-purpose impact modification is a low level of impact modification. For example, it may be used to prevent conditioning in molded PA parts.

  • You only need a small amount of impact modifier for this application, less than 10%. It also isn’t necessary for all applications for it to contain reactive groups to be successful.
  • This level of impact modification will result in a reasonable amount of impact strength at room temperature but doesn’t consider the requirements of low-temperature impact strength.

Low-temperature impact modification

For situations where you need a resin to exhibit durability, toughness, and resistance to breaking in low temperatures, you’ll need to apply low-temperature impact modifications. Many home appliances like freezers would require this level of impact modification. To make this impact modification, you’ll need somewhere between 5-15% of reactive modifiers.

Super toughness

For applications where you need a resin to stand strong even if it reaches a low temperature at a high speed, you need super toughness impact modification. To reach super toughness, you’ll need to use 20-25% of a reactive impact modifier with a low Tg.

Reaching super toughness in a plastic resin doesn’t only improve its durability, it also improves:

  • Flammability
  • Weatherability
  • Optical and tensile properties
  • Heat distortion
  • Processability

Plastic Service Centers | Impact modifiers and other plastic resin products

To provide the best value possible for your customers, you need the best value possible from your supplier. At Plastic Service Centers, you can count on the fact that you’re getting top-quality supplies, like plastic resins and impact modifiers, at a competitive price. We can provide you with any plastic resin you need for any application, no matter what industry you are in. We carry a large inventory of products, over 4 million pounds, which we have located in strategically placed warehouses around America. This allows us to ship our products quickly and efficiently to you no matter where you are in America, Canada, or Mexico.

To learn more about our plastic resins or impact modifiers, give us a call at (586) 474-5313 or send in an online contact form today!