1.1 ISO 2580-1:2002 establishes a system of designation for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) moulding and extrusion materials, which may be used as the basis for specifications.

1.2 The types of ABS plastic are differentiated from each other by a classification system based on appropriate levels of the designatory properties

1. Vicat softening temperature
2. melt volume-flow rate
3. Charpy notched impact strength
4. tensile modulus

and on information about composition, intended application and/or method of processing, important properties, additives, colorants, fillers and reinforcing materials.

1.3 This part of ISO 2580 is applicable to all acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene materials consisting of a continuous phase based mainly on copolymers of styrene (and/or alkyl-substituted styrene) and acrylonitrile and a dispersed elastomeric phase based mainly on polybutadiene, plus other components, in such quantities as specified in the text.

It applies to ABS materials ready for normal use in the form of powder, granules, pellets or chips, unmodified or modified by colorants, additives, fillers, etc.

This part of ISO 2580 does not apply to materials

• with a Charpy notched impact strength of less than 3 kilojoules per square metre;
• containing less than 50 % by mass of butadiene in the elastomer of the elastomeric phase;
• containing less than 15 % by mass of acrylonitrile in the continuous phase.