Under the trade designation TERLURAN HI-152, INEOS Styrolution supplies an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer injection-moulding grade positioned at the high-impact, high-flow boundary of the styrenics portfolio. The material is classified as ABS-HI according to ISO 1043-1 and is supplied as natural or pre-coloured pellets for direct injection moulding. Typical conditioned density is 1.04 g/cm³ determined by ISO 1183-1. The published melt volume-flow rate is 18 cm³/10 min at 220 °C and 10 kg load under ISO 1133-1. This flow characteristic places the grade in the higher-flow portion of the high-impact ABS category and permits reduced injection pressure or longer flow paths in thin-wall cavities. Tensile data generated under ISO 527-1/-2 list a tensile modulus of 2300 MPa, a yield stress of 45 MPa, and a yield strain of 2.6%. Charpy notched impact strength measured by ISO 179-1/1eA is 30 kJ/m² at 23 °C and 12 kJ/m² at -30 °C. The Vicat B50 softening temperature by ISO 306 is 104 °C, and the deflection temperature under 1.8 MPa load by ISO 75-2 is 96 °C. Flammability classification under UL 94 is HB at 1.5 mm thickness. The property profile is consistent with a butadiene-rubber-modified styrene-acrylonitrile matrix in which the high-flow character is obtained without brominated flame-retardant additives. The grade is opaque because the dispersed rubber phase scatters visible light. The numeric suffix 152 is a manufacturer grade designator; the HI prefix identifies the high-impact formulation within the TERLURAN ABS family.

What Separates TERLURAN HI-152 From General-Purpose and Lower-Flow High-Impact ABS Grades?

Within the INEOS Styrolution TERLURAN ABS range, the main differentiation from a general-purpose grade such as TERLURAN GP-22 is the rubber-phase content and the resulting notched impact response. General-purpose ABS is specified for mouldings in which rigidity and surface appearance dominate over low-temperature toughness. At the opposite end, a lower-flow high-impact grade such as TERLURAN HI-10 is specified for thick-section parts requiring maximum impact absorption, but the lower melt-volume rate may demand higher injection pressure or favour shorter flow paths. TERLURAN HI-152 is positioned between these two extremes by combining an MVR of 18 cm³/10 min with a Charpy notched impact of 30 kJ/m² at 23 °C. This shifts the processability boundary toward thin-wall and multi-cavity tooling without accepting the lower impact safety factor of a general-purpose ABS. The relationship is not linear: the higher flow is accompanied by a broader rubber-particle size distribution and a lower viscosity plateau, so hot-runner systems and gate dimensions should be designed to limit shear heating above the grade’s thermal stability limit.

Compared with high-heat ABS grades, TERLURAN HI-152 has a lower Vicat B50 and is not intended for continuous service above 90 °C under structural load. High-heat ABS grades achieve higher deflection temperatures by incorporating α-methylstyrene or maleimide-type comonomers, which increases melt viscosity and generally reduces flow under the same ISO 1133-1 test conditions. Compared with polycarbonate/ABS blends, TERLURAN HI-152 contains no polycarbonate; it therefore has lower notched impact and lower heat resistance but provides easier pigmentation for high-gloss colour targets and a lower density. The absence of polycarbonate also shifts chemical compatibility: the ABS-only material is less sensitive to certain alkaline treatments but remains vulnerable to ester, ketone, and chlorinated solvent stress cracking. Published capillary rheometry data for this specific configuration is limited; melt volume-flow rate is therefore used as the routine process-control metric rather than a complete viscosity-shear-rate master curve.

Drying prior to melt processing is mandatory after unprotected storage, particularly at relative humidity above 60% and when pellets have been exposed in open bags for more than 24 h. Residual moisture above 0.1% by mass is a primary source of splay and silver streaks on polished cavity surfaces, and it can reduce notched impact because steam pockets create microscopic voids at the rubber-matrix interface. A desiccant-air dryer set to 80 °C for 2–4 h is specified to bring pellet moisture below 0.1% before hopper loading. Hopper dryers using unheated ambient air are insufficient in humid production environments. The melt temperature measured at the nozzle is maintained between 240 °C and 260 °C; barrel profiles may be set from feed throat to nozzle at 210/230/240/250 °C depending on screw size and cycle time. For injection-moulding machines with screw diameters of 25–35 mm and L/D ratios of 20:1–25:1, a low-shear screw with a non-return valve and compression ratio of 2.0:1–2.5:1 is generally suitable. Moderate back pressure in the range 0.3–0.7 MPa is used to homogenate colourants, although higher back pressure increases shear heating and should be avoided if residence time exceeds 5 min.

Mould temperature is set at 50–70 °C. The upper half of that range, 65–70 °C, increases surface gloss and weld-line strength but prolongs cycle time. The lower half, 50–55 °C, reduces gloss and increases moulded-in stress; a mould temperature below 40 °C is not recommended for appearance parts because it raises susceptibility to environmental stress cracking when the moulding is later exposed to alcohol-based cleaners. Injection speed is adjusted to avoid jetting and excessive shear heating of the butadiene phase; moderate-to-high injection speed with a controlled hold-pressure profile reduces visible weld lines. Specific injection pressure in production varies with flow-length-to-wall-thickness ratio, but hydraulic injection pressures from 70–140 MPa are common for balanced multi-cavity tools. Hot-spot formation in sections above 4 mm requires lower melt temperature or increased cooling time to avoid internal voids and sink marks. Mould venting depth should not exceed 0.02–0.03 mm to prevent flash while allowing air evacuation.

Production-scale experience with unpigmented and coloured TERLURAN HI-152 indicates that regrind addition above 20 mass% increases batch-to-batch variance in notched impact and can shift the low-temperature ductile-to-brittle transition upward by several kelvin. The degradation mechanism is thermo-oxidative crosslinking of the polybutadiene phase during repeated melt history, which reduces rubber-particle cavitation and thereby lowers impact energy absorption. Regrind should be dried, controlled, and blended uniformly before use. Chemical contact with ketones, esters, chlorinated hydrocarbons, aromatic solvents, and strong oxidizing acids is not recommended; these agents attack the styrene-acrylonitrile matrix or swell the butadiene phase and can initiate crazing under moulded-in stress. The grade is not inherently flame retardant; the UL 94 classification is HB, and applications requiring V-0 or 5VA ratings must use a flame-retardant ABS or an alternative polymer. Unstabilized parts are not suitable for long-term outdoor exposure because UV photo-oxidation causes yellowing and surface embrittlement.

When Sub-Zero Impact Requirements Overlap With High-Gloss Aesthetic Specifications

Application selection generally occurs in injection-moulded components where cold-climate shipping or exposure and surface quality are evaluated together. The combination of MVR 18 cm³/10 min and Charpy notched impact of 12 kJ/m² at -30 °C supports thin-wall housings that must survive impact after winter transport or in unheated spaces. Typical production examples include small appliance housings, vacuum cleaner front covers, automotive interior trim, power-tool housings, and consumer electronics enclosures. In these applications, surface quality is governed by mould temperature, gate location, and venting rather than by post-mould coating. The high-flow character permits filling of ribs and bosses with wall sections down to approximately 1.0 mm when adequate flow-length-to-wall-thickness ratios are used. Conversely, sections above 4 mm require active management of hot spots and internal voids through hold pressure and cooling time. The opacity of the butadiene phase excludes transparent applications, and surface defects caused by insufficient drying or excessive regrind are directly visible on unpainted high-gloss surfaces.

The material is not recommended for continuous contact with hot water above 80 °C because softening and creep reduce clamping force retention in metal inserts. In medical or laboratory equipment enclosures that do not require repeated steam sterilization, the grade can be used; repeated autoclaving above 121 °C is outside the recommended service envelope because the heat deflection temperature and matrix stability are insufficient for sustained sterilizer cycling. When regulatory compliance such as direct food-contact or medical-device approval is required, the converter must verify the current regional regulatory data sheet because migration limits and permitted use conditions vary by jurisdiction and final part thickness.