ASA Profiles

Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylic ester, commonly known as ASA, is a hard and impact-resistant material. ASA can be processed in various ways. In most cases, extrusion and die-cast methods are applied. The chemical resistance of ASA is comparable with polystyrene. ASA can be glued and welded easily. Welding is best done by mirror or ultra-sonic welding.

Applications

ASA profiles are mostly found in:

Greenhouse constructions
Construction
Solar panels
Ventilation systems
Garden furniture
Advertising boards

Characteristics in short

Maximum tolerable temperature approximately 85 - 105â° C (185 - 221â° F)
Good to excellent impact resistance
Good weatherproof qualities
Self-extinguishing (can be configured)
Fairly high E-module
Good co-extrusion qualities

Material qualities

Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylic ester, in short, ASA is a robust and impact-resistant material. Another advantage is the material’s heat resistance. ASA can be processed in various ways. Extrusion and die-casting are the most commonly used processes. The material’s chemical resistance is comparable with that of polystyrene. ASA is easy to glue or weld; welding is best performed by mirror or ultra-sonic methods.

Colors

ASA features a bright and brilliant color. The main advantage of ASA over ABS is the improved weather stability, caused by omitting the butadiene from the compound. ASA is thus exceptionally well-suited for outdoor use.

Fire safety

ASA is a flammable material; it burns with a sooty flame without dripping.

Painting

ASA can be painted, although prior to painting, the surface must be prepared with an adhesive primer. Usually, acrylic lacquers are used to paint ASA profiles. ASA is extremely sensitive to solvents, which can actively reduce the impact resistance of the material. Solvents must, therefore, be carefully selected, extensively testing the solution is the best option to assess the suitability of the solvent.

Welding

ASA is suited for welding. The best methods are heat or ultrasonic welding. High-frequency welding is not possible with this material due to the low dielectric loss factor.

Chemical resistance

ASA is well resistant to diluted acids, alkalis, gasoline, grease, mineral oils, and water. The material is not immune to concentrated mineral acids and solvents.

Bonding with other materials

If desired, ASA bonds well with other thermoplastics. Bonding can be facilitated by co-, tri-, and quad extrusion. Besides bonding with natural ASA, like with a different color, it can also be bonded with other materials like thermoplastic rubbers (SBS, SEBS, and TPU) and also with Hard PVC and PMMA.