Rubber toughening a lower limit for rubber-toughening particle diameter at 200 nm; it was then discovered that ultra-fine full-vulcanized powdered rubber particles with diameter of 90 nm show significant toughening of rubber epoxies. This finding underlines how this field is constantly growing and more work can be done to better model the rubber toughening effect. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene polymer is an application of rubber toughening. The properties of this polymer come mainly from rubber toughening. The polybutadiene rubber domains in the main styrene-acrylonitrile matrix act as a stop to crack propagation. PMMA’s high optical transparency, low cost, and compressibility make it a
Rubber toughening of waste rubber from car tires has sparked interest in finding uses for this discarded rubber. The rubber can be turned into a fine powder, which can then be used as a toughening agent for polystyrene. However, poor miscibility between the waste rubber and polystyrene will weaken the material. This problem requires the use of a compatibilizer (see "compatibilization") in order to reduce interfacial tension and ultimately make rubber toughening of polystyrene effective. A polystyrene/styrene-butadiene copolymer acts to increase the adhesion between the dispersed and continuous phases. Rubber toughening Rubber toughening is a process in which rubber nanoparticles are interspersed