Comparative Performance Study of Acidic Pumice and Basic Pumice Inclusions for Acrylonitrile–Butadiene–Styrene-Based Composite Filaments

This study aims to evaluate the effective use of porous pumice powder as an additive in acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS)-based composite materials. The influence of pumice addition on mechanical, thermomechanical, thermal, and physical properties of ABS filaments was reported. Two types of pumice, namely acidic pumice (AP) and basic pumice (BP), were melt compounded with ABS at loading levels of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% by weight using the melt extrusion preparation method. Composites were shaped into dog bone test specimens by the injection molding process. The physical properties of pumice powders were investigated by particle size analysis and X-ray spectroscopy techniques. Mechanical, thermomechanical, thermal, melt flow, and morphological behaviors of ABS/AP and ABS/BP composite filaments were proposed. According to test results, pumice addition led to an increase in the mechanical response of ABS up to a filling ratio of 10%. Further inclusion of pumice caused sharp reduction due to the possible agglomeration of pumice particles. Composites filled with AP yielded remarkably higher mechanical performance in terms of tensile, impact, and hardness strength compared with BP-loaded composites. According to thermal analyses, ABS exhibited higher thermal stability after incorporation of AP and BP. Pumice addition also resulted in raising the glass transition temperature of ABS. Melt flow index (MFI) findings revealed that addition of two types of pumice led to an opposite trend in the melt flow behavior of ABS filaments. Homogeneous dispersion of pumice particles into the ABS matrix when adding low amounts, as well as reduction in dispersion homogeneity with high amounts, of AP and BP was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs.