Effect Pre-Consumer Reclaim on S/MA-GR Property Retention

A process was developed and commercialized by Ford Motor Company, ACD for the recovery of S/MA-GR (glass fiber reinforced styrene maleic anhydride copolymer) resin from trim offal and rejected composite foam instrument panels, SAE# 93005. This high quality, low contaminate level “Reclaim”, S/MA-GR resin, has very good physical property retention through the manufacturing cycle. It compares favorably to post consumer “recycle” S/MA-GR resin recovered from Arizona.

Acrylic (PMMA) resin recovered from manufacturing tail lamp lenses, etc. and post consumer applications was compounded with S/MA and fiberglass. This S/MA-GR compound has improved acrylic dispersion, uniform fiberglass content and improved mechanical properties: Dylark ® 378 P20A. The adverse effects of acrylic regrind on S/MA Boss/Joint Performance as described in SAE# 95810 should be minimized by reducing the variability incurred by blending regrind acrylic at the molding machine. Tensile strength properties of S/MA-GR with/without Reclaim programmed in an I/P substrate computer model found no adverse effects on performance with “Reclaim”.

This report discusses the physical property retention of S/MA-GR resin recovered in Ford ACD's manufacturing process and pre/post consumer acrylic regrind use in S/MA- GR.