ASA

Acrylonitrile-Styrene-Acrylate is an amorphous thermoplastic. It has very high surface hardness and therefore good scratch resistance. The glass transition temperature is around 100 °C.

ASA has mechanical properties fairly similar to ABS. The main differences are that ASA has excellent UV resistance but also considerably lower impact toughness, especially at low temperatures.

ASA is a very suitable material for outdoor applications. It is widely used in the automotive industry, building materials and outdoor furniture. ASA can be processed by various methods such as extrusion or injection moulding. ASA also blends very well with some other plastics — such as polycarbonate (PC) to improve impact toughness. Main properties:

  • Glass transition temperature of 100° C
  • Good chemical resistance (except against solvents)
  • High surface hardness and finish
  • Very easy to colour
  • Excellent UV resistance