Polystyrene was toughened by blending with rubber waste obtained from shoe and tire industries. The blends were twin-screw extruded and test specimens were compression and injection moulded. The effects of concentration (0-15% w/w) and particle size (1200 to 180 µm) of the waste rubbers on the blend's mechanical properties were evaluated and their fracture surfaces examined. It was shown that tensile strength tends to lower and impact resistance to increase with increasing rubber content of decreasing particle sizes. Morphological analysis confirms these results. Injection moulded specimens showed greater sample uniformity and consequently, better mechanical properties than compression moulded samples.
PS/rubber blends; recycling; toughening
