Introduction: When material selection becomes a core competitiveness
At an automotive electronics factory in Mexico, a batch of ECU casings worth 2.3 million US dollars were all scrapped due to stress cracking in PC+ABS during a high-temperature and high-humidity test at 85 ° C / 85%RH.
This real case reveals that the selection of engineering plastics is no longer merely a cost comparison, but a strategic decision concerning product lifespan, brand reputation and market competitiveness.
As a polymer solutions provider that has served customers in 32 countries, Juyuan will decode the technical boundaries of PC+PBT and PC+ABS from multiple dimensions such as molecular structure, performance, processing compatibility, and market trends, to assist global purchasers in making precise decisions.
01 | Material Genome Map: Essential Differences from Molecular Structure
Material composition
・PC+PBT: Polycarbonate (PC) + polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), combining the toughness of PC and the chemical resistance of PBT, with outstanding low-temperature impact strength.
・PC+ABS: Polycarbonate (PC) + acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), it has good processability and excellent appearance, but its chemical resistance is relatively weak.
Thermodynamic behavior
・PC+PBT: The melting peak is approximately 223℃ (as detected by DSC), with a sharp exothermic curve during crystallization → a mold temperature of 100-120℃ is required to ensure crystallization, and it has strong dimensional stability.
・PC+ABS: The glass transition temperature is approximately 145℃, with no crystallization peak → the cooling cycle can be shortened by 15-20%, making it suitable for large-scale production.
Chemical resistance matrix
・After 30 days of gasoline immersion: The tensile strength retention rate of PC+PBT is 91%, while that of PC+ABS is only 67%.
・Sunscreen contact: The critical concentration for stress whitening of PC+ABS is three orders of magnitude higher than that of PC+PBT.
02 | Performance Comparison Analysis
| Performance Attribute | PC+PBT | PC+ABS |
| Chemical Resistance | Excellent; suitable for fuel, oil, and cleaning agent exposure | Moderate; susceptible to solvent attack |
| Weather Resistance | Outstanding; retains toughness at low temperatures | Average; requires UV stabilizers |
| Độ ổn định kích thước | High; low thermal expansion, ideal for precision components | Moderate; noticeable thermal expansion/contraction |
| Surface Processability | Limited; additional finishing required | Excellent; easy to paint, electroplate, or coat |
| Process Flowability | Moderate; sensitive to temperature control | Good; wide processing window |
| Khả năng chống va đập | High; excellent low-temperature impact strength | High, but performance declines in low-temperature environments |
03 | Frontier Applications and Breakthrough Cases
5G antenna cover
・The South Korean customer originally used PC+ABS and upgraded to a special PC+PBT formula:
・The dielectric constant is stable at 2.8 (1-40 GHZ).
・Passed the IPX9K high-pressure steam jet test
・Core technology: Nano-montmorillonite intercalation modification (available in the white paper)
Sterilization of medical equipment
・After 50 EO sterilization cycles: The impact strength of PC+ABS decreased by 38%, while that of PC+PBT only dropped by 12%. The crystal region structure has a natural shielding effect on free radicals.
04 | Typical application scenarios
PC+PBT: Automotive exterior parts, engine compartment parts, electrical insulation components, outdoor equipment casings
PC+ABS: Notebook computer casings, home appliance panels, consumer electronics casings, interior automotive interiors
05 | Global Supply Chain and Sustainable Layout
Regional compliance: All PC+ABS batches provide the EU REACH 238 SVHC declarations
Sustainable materials: Asian factory PC+PBT with 30% post-consumer recycled PBT (ISCC PLUS certified)
Emergency inventory: The bonded warehouses in Rotterdam/Houston support replenishment within 72 hours
Multi-channel procurement: Both original factory and alternative grades are available to ensure the best cost and delivery time
06 | Procurement Decision-making Suggestions
| Application Requirement | Vật liệu được đề xuất | Key Reasoning |
| Outdoor exposure, chemical resistance, low-temperature toughness | PC+PBT | High chemical resistance, dimensional stability, excellent low-temperature impact |
| Surface appearance, high-volume production | PC+ABS | Fast processing, good surface finish, cost-effective |
Call to Action: Let us be your Materials strategic partner
Contact us immediately to get：
・Interactive “Engineering Plastic Selection Decision Tree” (includes TCO calculation module)
・Analysis of competitor product materials (FTIR reverse report samples are available for reference)
・Replacement Guide (PC+ABS → PC+PBT Progressive Scheme)
・Free sample testing (10kg sample + complete set of processing parameters)
Juyuan - Your reliable international supplier of plastic raw materials, making material decisions more scientific and efficient.