Optimization and Analysis of Composite Material Manufacturing using ABS, Titanium Dioxide and Copper Oxide

Abstract

This study focuses on the development of a multifunctional polymer composite based on Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene by incorporating Titanium Dioxide and Copper Oxide to enhance both mechanical and antibacterial properties. The primary objective was to create a material that combines structural strength with antimicrobial functionality. Four different composite samples were prepared with varying reinforcement percentages and fabricated using the injection molding process to ensure uniformity and industrial relevance. The mechanical properties were evaluated through tensile, compressive, and hardness testing, whileantibacterialperformancewasassessedusingbacterialcountanalysis(CFU/g).Among allsamples,the compositioncontaining75%ABSwith12.5%TiO?and12.5%CuOexhibitedthebestperformance,showingthehighesttensilestrength,compressivestrength,andhardness values along with a significant reduction in bacterial count. These results indicate a clear improvement compared to pure ABS and lower reinforcement levels. The study concludes that the combined use of TiO? and CuO successfully results in a multifunctional composite with enhanced mechanical properties and effective antibacterial behavior, making it suitable for applications requiring both durability and hygiene

Introduction

The study investigates ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) polymer composites reinforced with Titanium Dioxide (TiO?) and Copper Oxide (CuO) to improve mechanical strength and antibacterial performance. Pure ABS is widely used but has limited strength and no inherent antibacterial properties, motivating the addition of these fillers.

Four composite samples were prepared with increasing filler content (0% to 25% TiO? and CuO combined). Experimental results show that mechanical properties improve steadily with reinforcement. Tensile strength increases from about 55 MPa (pure ABS) to 77 MPa at highest filler content, while compressive strength rises similarly. Hardness also increases significantly, indicating reduced polymer chain mobility and improved surface resistance.

EDS analysis confirms the presence and distribution of TiO? within the polymer matrix, though CuO is not strongly detected due to instrument limitations and dispersion effects. Despite this, antibacterial testing clearly shows effectiveness, with bacterial count reducing from 115 CFU/g in pure ABS to 57 CFU/g in reinforced composites, confirming CuO’s antimicrobial action.

Conclusion

Based on the experimental results, Sample 4 (75% ABS + 12.5% TiO? + 12.5% CuO) demonstrated the best overall performance among all compositions. It exhibited the highest tensile strength, compressive strength, and hardness, along with a significant reduction in bacterialcount.Thisindicatesthatincreasingthereinforcementcontentupto25%resultedin improved mechanical and antibacterial properties without any observable deterioration in performance. The use of Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene as the matrix combined with Titanium Dioxide and Copper Oxide as reinforcements successfully produced a multifunctional composite material.Theinjectionmoldingprocessproved tobeaneffective andpracticalmanufacturing method, ensuring uniform dispersion of fillers and consistent quality of test specimens. Overall,thestudyconfirmsthatternarycompositesbasedonABS,TiO?,andCuOcanachieve enhanced structural strength along with reliable antibacterial performance, making them suitable for engineering applications requiring both durability and hygiene. For future work, further investigation can be carried out using advanced characterization techniques such as Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) for better analysis of particle dispersion at the nanoscale. Additionally, studies on wear resistance, impact strength, and long-term antibacterial performance can be conducted to expand the application potential of the developed composite.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Shubham Patwa, Tejas Bodawade, Aadesh Pol, Om Pawar, Prof. Onkar G. Sonare, Prof. Surendra Rathod. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.