Effect of functionalized nanosilica on properties of polyoxymethylene‐matrix nanocomposites

Amino group and methyl group functionalized nano‐silica (coded as RNS and DNS) particulates were separately used as nanofillers to prepare polyxymethylene‐matrix (denoted as POM‐matrix) nanocomposites by melt blending. The tensile strength, Young's modulus, and impact toughness of as‐prepared POM‐matrix nanocomposites were measured, and their thermal decomposition behavior and crystallization behavior were analyzed by means of thermogravimetric measurement and differential scanning calorimetry and polarized light microscope. Moreover, the morphology of as‐prepared POM‐matrix nanocomposites was observed with a transmission electron microscope. Results show that incorporating a proper content of RNS and DNS contributes to improve the tensile strength, Young's modulus and impact toughness of POM, and POM‐DNS nanocomposites with a high content of inorganic filler have better mechanical properties than POM‐RNS counterparts. Besides, POM‐matrix nanocomposites have a higher crystallization onset temperature and a smaller grain size than neat POM, which is due to the heterogeneous nucleation effect of DNS and RNS. Moreover, incorporating RNS containing surface amino group helps to increase the thermal stability of POM‐RNS nanocomposites and leads to an increase of initial decomposition temperature by about 27°C; but the introduction of DNS has little effect on the thermal decomposition behavior of POM. The reason lies in that RNS containing surface amino group can strongly chemically interact with thermal decomposed products of POM (it can absorb formaldehyde and formic acid generated via thermal decomposition of POM) but DNS with surface methyl group cannot absorb formaldehyde and formic acid. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:127–136, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Dynamic mechanical,thermal, and morphological properties of silane‐treated montmorillonite reinforced polycarbonate nanocomposites

Three different loading of 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APS) was used to modify the Na‐montmorillonite via cation exchange technique. The Na‐MMT and silane‐treated montmorillonite (STMMT) were melt‐compounded with polycarbonate (PC) by using Haake Minilab machine. The PC nanocomposite samples were prepared by using Haake Minijet injection molding technique. The intercalation and exfoliation of the PC/MMT nanocomposites were characterized by using X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The thermal properties of the PC nanocomposites were investigated by using dynamic mechanical analyzer and thermogravimetry analyzer. XRD and TEM results revealed partial intercalation and exfoliation of STMMT in PC matrix. Increase of APS concentration significantly enhanced the storage modulus (E′) and improved the thermal stability of PC nanocomposites. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Mechanical,thermal and dynamic‐mechanical behavior of banana fiber reinforced polypropylene nanocomposites

Natural fiber‐reinforced nanocomposites based on polypropylene/nanoclay/banana fibers were fabricated by melt mixing in a twin‐screw extruder followed by compression molding in this current study. Maleic anhydride polypropylene copolymer (MA‐g‐PP) was used as a compatibilizer to increase the compatibility between the PP matrix, clay, and banana fiber to enhance exfoliation of organoclay and dispersion of fibers into the polymer matrix. Variation in mechanical, thermal, and physico‐mechanical properties with the addition of banana fiber into the PP nanocomposites was investigated. It was observed that 3 wt% of nanoclay and 5 wt% of MA‐g‐PP within PP matrix resulted in an increase in tensile and flexural strength by 41.3% and 45.6% as compared with virgin PP. Further, incorporation of 30 wt% banana fiber in PP nanocomposites system increases the tensile and flexural strength to the tune of 27.1% and 15.8%, respectively. The morphology of fiber reinforced PP nanocomposites has been examined by using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Significant enhancement in the thermal stability of nanocomposites was also observed due to the presence of nanoclay under thermogravimetric analysis. Dynamic mechanical analysis tests revealed an increase in storage modulus (E′) and damping factor (tan δ), conforming the strong interaction between nanoclay/banana fiberand MA‐g‐PP in the fiber‐reinforced nanocomposites systems. POLYM. COMPOS., © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Thermal,dynamic‐mechanical,and dielectric properties of surfactant intercalated graphite oxide filled maleated polypropylene nanocomposites

Graphite oxide (GO) and amine surfactant intercalated graphite oxide (GOS) filled maleated polypropylene (PPgMA) nanocomposites were prepared directly by solution blending. In this study, the effects of the surfactant intercalation on the crystalline structure, thermo‐mechanical, and dielectric properties of PPgMA/GO and GOS composites are reported. Wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction exhibited a lower intensity diffraction peak of the monoclinic (α) phase of PPgMA for PPgMA/GOS composites compared with the unfilled sample. Differential scanning calorimetry exhibited a single characteristic melting peak of monoclinic (α) crystalline phase. The incorporation of GOS hardly showed any change in T_m. However, the significant decrease in the melting enthalpy of PPgMA/GOS composite, which was lower than that of GO filled PPgMA, demonstrated the high degree of dispersion of the GOS flakes in the PPgMA matrix. Dynamical mechanical analysis indicated that incorporation of GO or GOS into PPgMA increased both the storage modulus and the glass transition temperature, due to the hydrogen bonding between GO and the maleic anhydride group of PPgMA. Dielectric analyzer showed significant increase in both dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss at high temperature regimes in the GOS nanocomposites. The finely dispersed GOS in the PPgMA matrix manifested the interfacial polarization, which gave rise to much greater ε′ and ε″ than that of PPgMA/GO hybrid. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Influence of silane‐coupling agents on the performance of morphological,mechanical, thermal,electrical, and rheological properties of polycarbonate/fly ash composites

Fly ash, waste product of thermal power station, generated in huge quantities has been posing problems of its disposal. As such, it contains a variety of inorganic oxide and is available in finely powder form. Attempts have been made for its utilization, as filler in engineering plastic. The fly ash (FA) fillers reinforced polycarbonate (PC) composites were fabricated using a economically and environmentally viable method of melt extrusion and compression molding technique. The FA surface was chemically modified using vinyltrimethoxysilane and 3–Aminopropyltriethoxysilane. The feasibility of using treated FA/PC composites was examined in terms of scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and rheological behavior. The morphology shows a good dispersion and strong interfacial interaction between PC and modified FA than the unmodified counterpart. Mechanical investigation manifested that modified FAs have strengthening effect (increase in tensile and flexural strength) on the mechanical performance of PC composites. Rheological behavior of PC/FA composites was characterized by parallel plate rheometer system. Addition of treated FA imparted dimensional and thermal stability, which has been observed in scanning electron micrographs and in thermogravimetric analysis plot. The increase of thermal stability has been explained based on increased mechanical interlocking of PC chains inside the structure of FA. This study shows that surface modification of FA is one of the key factors influencing the mechanical and thermal properties of PC/FA composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Study of morphological and mechanical performance of amine‐cured glassy epoxy–clay nanocomposites

The effect of three different alkylammonium‐modified montmorillonite on morphological and mechanical properties of glassy epoxy‐amine nanocomposites is reported. Small amounts of clays <10 phr (part per hundred of resin) were used in each system of nanocomposite. The morphology of the prepared nanocomposites was performed by means of X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate the glass transition temperatures (T_g). Mechanical properties were based on tensile characteristics (Young's modulus), impact strength, and fracture toughness. The measured moduli were compared to theoretical predictions. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the morphological structure of the fracture surfaces of impacted specimens. It was found that at a low content of 2 phr (1.2 wt %) of nanoclays, the impact strength and the fracture toughness were improved by 77 and 90% respectively, comparatively to the neat epoxy, whereas DSC revealed a reduction of the T_g of nanocomposites. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Mechanical,thermal, and morphological properties of recycled polycarbonate/recycled poly(acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene) blend nanocomposites

The present work aims within the context of plastic recycling is to upgrade the properties of plastic waste particularly the two engineering plastics polycarbonate (PC) and poly (acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene) (ABS) from electrical and electronic equipment. Recycled polycarbonate (RPC) and recycled poly (acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene) (RABS) were obtained from E‐waste suppliers. RPC/RABS blends compatibilized with both maleic anhydride‐grafted polypropylene (MAP) and solid epoxy resin was prepared by microinjection molding. The effect of compatibilizer addition on the morphology and mechanical properties of RPC/RABS blends were analyzed. Further, to upgrade the mechanical and thermal properties two types of organically modified nanoclays closite 30B (C30B) and closite 15A (C15A) were incorporated into the optimized blend compositions. The effect of organoclay on the mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of the RPC/RABS blend nanocomposites was investigated. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Synthesis,characterization, and mechanical performance of various functionalized carbon nanotubes-polyurethanes nanocomposites

Nanocomposites of functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs_f) used as a reinforcement agent, and a polyurethane (PU), as a polymeric matrix were synthesized via in situ polymerization. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were chemically functionalized using four different chemical treatments to obtain (1) oxidized CNTs (CNTs_{OH, COOH}), (2) CNTs containing aliphatic amine groups (CNTs_{et diam}), (3) CNTs attached to an aromatic amine group (CNTs_4AB), and (4) CNTs containing a combination of aromatic amine, hydroxyl, and carboxyl functional groups (CNTs_{4AB, OH, COOH}). The nanocomposites (prepared using 0.25, 0.5 or 1.0 wt % CNTs_f) were synthesized by two processes: (1) one-step using a PU made from PCL-diol (α-ω-telechelic polyester diol) obtained by biocatalysis from ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) and diethylene glycol (DEG) and 4,4′-methylenebis (cyclohexyl isocyanate) (H₁₂MDI) in stoichiometric amounts, (2) two-step process (chain extended PU) using hexamethylene diamine (HMDA). Depending on the chemical route used to synthesized the nanocomposites, CNTs_f form, in some cases, covalent bonds and hydrogen bonding with the soft and/or hard segments of the PU matrix. Also, the presence of CNTs_f improves the thermal stability of the nanocomposites and some of their mechanical properties, compared to the pure PU properties. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47319.     

Sepiolite‐reinforced epoxy nanocomposites: Thermal,mechanical, and morphological behavior

A bisphenol A‐based epoxy resin was modified with pristine sepiolite and an organically surface‐modified sepiolite and thermally cured using two different curing agents: an aliphatic and a cycloaromatic diamine. The nanocomposites were characterized by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), rheology, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and electron microscopy. The initial sepiolite–epoxy mixtures show a better dispersion for the sepiolite‐modified system that forms a percolation network structure. Mechanical properties have also been determined. The flexural modulus of the epoxy matrix slightly increases by the incorporation of the organophilic sepiolite. The flexural strength of the sepiolite‐modified resin cured with the aliphatic diamine increased by 10%, while the sepiolite‐modified resin cured with the cycloaromatic diamine resulted in a lower flexural strength, as compared with the unmodified resin. Electron micrographs revealed a better nanodispersion of the sepiolite in the epoxy matrix for the organophilic modified sepiolite nanocomposite. The initial thermal decomposition temperature did not change significantly with the addition of sepiolite, whereas mechanical properties were affected. The reduced flexural strength was attributed to the stress concentrations caused by the sepiolite modifier. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Effect of oligomeric‐modified montmorillonite on morphology and properties of polycarbonate/montmorillonite nanocomposites

Low‐molecular‐weight copolymers of styrene and vinylbenzyl ammonium salts (oligomeric surfactant) were used to modify montmorillonite (MMT). The oligomeric‐modified MMT showed good thermal stability, which made it suitable to be used for preparing polycarbonate(PC)/MMT nanocomposites at high temperature. A different series of PC/MMT nanocomposites had been prepared by melt processing using a twin screw extruder. The effect of oligomeric surfactant structure and clay loading on the morphology, mechanical property, thermal stability, and color appearance of the nanocomposites were explored. The results of X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses indicated that the PC/MMT nanocomposites had partially exfoliated structures. The PC/MMT nanocomposites were found to retain light colored, which was important for optical application. Compared to neat PC, the nanocomposites showed better properties of thermal stability and heat insulation. The mechanical properties of the nanocomposites are significantly enhanced by incorporating clay into the PC matrix. The tensile strength of nanocomposites with 2 wt% clay content was up to 55 MPa, which was much higher than that of the neat PC (37 MPa). The maximum tensile modulus value was 19% higher than that of neat PC. POLYM. COMPOS., 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Influence of shape and surface modification of nanoparticle on the rheological and dynamic‐mechanical properties of polyamide 6 nanocomposites

Nanocomposites of polyamide 6 (PA6) with different concentrations of silane‐treated, organic‐treated, and nontreated nanoparticles of halloysite (HNT) and montmorillonite (MMT) had their microstructure and melt and solid state rheological behavior analyzed. The microstructure analysis was done using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD); the effectiveness of the silanization was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared. It was found that exfoliation occurred in the organic‐treated MMT, but not in the silane‐treated MMT and that silanization was small in the HNT nanoparticles (due to its low amount of surface hydroxyls groups). Steady state shear, small amplitude oscillatory, and transient tests also indicated that: (i) only the nanocomposites with organic‐treated MMT, at concentrations above the theoretical percolation threshold developed a percolated network; (ii) the silane treatment increased the shear elastic modulus (G) of the PA6/HNT nanocomposites in the solid state, but not of the PA6/MMT; (iii) the organic‐treated MMT formed composites with the highest G, as expected. Thus, it was concluded that the HNT nanoparticles had a high potential as nanofiller for PA6, but further research on more efficient compatibilizers for HNT is still needed. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2013. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Electrically conductive polycarbonate/ethylene‐propylene copolymer/multi‐walled carbon nanotubes nanocomposites with improved mechanical properties

In this article, the effect of Multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of polycarbonate (PC) toughened with cross‐linked ethylene‐propylene copolymer (EPC) was investigated. The solubility parameters of the PC and EPC were calculated using Hoy methods to clarify the miscibility of the polymer blends. It could be concluded that in the cooled state, the blends form a heterogeneous structure with two separate phases. The tensile, flexural, impact toughness properties of the PC/EPC blend and PC/EPC/MWCNT nanocomposites were carried out to illuminate the optimum concentration of polymer blends and MWCNTs. The 335% increment for the impact strength results appeared with combination of 10% EPC in the PC matrix. The flexural modulus and strength of PC/EPC blend increased by 75.1% and 59.1%, respectively. The Nielsen model was performed to fit the best curve of theoretical simulation to experimental results for elastomeric dispersed in the plastic matrix. Halpin‐Tsai model was applied to estimate the stiffness of nanocomposites blends with different volume fraction and aspect ratio of MWCNTs in the PC/EPC blends. Finally, in the presence of MWCNTs, all nanocomposite samples were semi‐conducting and the percolation threshold of the PC/EPC (10%) blends was between 0.5% and 1.0% MWCNTs. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44661.     

Effect of clay exfoliation and organic modification on morphological,dynamic mechanical,and thermal behavior of melt‐compounded polyamide‐6 nanocomposites

Polyamide‐6/clay nanocomposites were prepared employing melt bending or compounding technique followed by injection molding using different organically modified clays. X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy were used to determine the molecular dispersion of the modified clays within the matrix polymer. Mechanical tests revealed an increase in tensile and flexural properties of the matrix polymer with the increase in clay loading from 0 to 5%. C30B/polyamide‐6 nanocomposites exhibited optimum mechanical performance at 5% clay loading. Storage modulus of polyamide‐6 also increased in the nanocomposites, indicating an increase in the stiffness of the matrix polymer with the addition of nanoclays. Furthermore, water absorption studies confirmed comparatively lesser tendency of water uptake in these nanocomposites. HDT of the virgin matrix increased substantially with the addition of organically modified clays. DSC measurements revealed both γ and α transitions in the matrix polymer as well as in the nanocomposites. The crystallization temperature (T_c) exhibited an increase in case of C30B/polyamide‐6 nanocomposites. Thermal stability of virgin polyamide‐6 and the nanocomposites has been investigated employing thermogravimetric analysis. POLYM. COMPOS., 28:153–162, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Thermal,mechanical and morphological properties of surface‐modified montmorillonite‐reinforced Viton rubber nanocomposites

Thermal, mechanical and morphological properties of surface‐modified montmorillonite (OMMT)‐reinforced Viton rubber nanocomposites were studied. The surface of montmorillonite was modified with a column chromatography technique using quaternary long‐chain ammonium salt as an intercalant, which resulted in uniform exchange of ions between montmorillonite and the ion‐exchange resin, and increased the d‐spacing to 31.5 Å. This improved d‐spacing was due to the use of an ion‐exchange column of sufficient length (35 cm) and diameter (5 cm) with maximum retention time for exchange of ions. The Viton nanocomposites reinforced with OMMT (3–12 wt%) were prepared using a two‐roll mill and moulded in a compression moulding machine. Tensile strength increased 3.17 times and elongation at break from 500 to 600% for 9 wt% loading of OMMT in comparison to pristine Viton rubber. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the presence of OMMT greatly improved the thermal stability. This improvement in properties with increasing OMMT loading was due to insertion of rubber chains between the OMMT plates with good wetting ability. Overall, at an optimum OMMT loading of 9 wt%, the properties of the Viton rubber nanocomposites improved, and subsequently worsened at 12 wt% due to agglomeration of OMMT as revealed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

Effect of PEG on PLA/PEG blend and its nanocomposites: A study of thermo‐mechanical and morphological characterization

In this study, the effect of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) on the preparation of Poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/PEG blend and its nanocomposites by melt intercalation method were investigated. The PEG having molecular weight of 6,000 g/mol used with various concentrations (0, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 wt%) in the preparation of PLA/PEG blend. Again, two types of commercialized organoclay [cloisite 93A (C93A) and cloisite 30B (C30B)] were used for the preparation of blend nanocomposites. With the incorporation of PEG into PLA the tensile strength and modulus decreases, whereas the percentage elongation and impact strength increases predominantly. Further, the PLA/PEG blend nanocomposites showed improved tensile strength and modulus with the addition of oraganoclays into the blend. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals the surface and miscibility study of the PLA/PEG blend. The effect of clay interaction in the PLA/PEG blend nanocomposites were also studied by using wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used to investigate the viscoelastic behavior of the blends and its nanocomposites. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study reveals decreased glass transition temperature in case of PLA/PEG blend. The thermal stability of the blend and its nanocomposites were being studied by using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). POLYM. COMPOS., 35:283–293, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Nanosilica‐reinforced Epoxidized natural rubber nanocomposites: Effect of Epoxidation level on morphological and mechanical properties

Epoxidized natural rubbers (ENRs) with three different epoxide contents (i.e., 20, 35, and 50 mol% indicated as ENR20, ENR35, and ENR50, respectively) were prepared. They were then reinforced with 3‐methyacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane‐modified nanosilica (MPTS‐SiO₂). Influence of epoxide level in ENR molecules on morphological, mechanical, and dynamic mechanical properties of the ENR nanocomposites was investigated. The scanning electron microscopy results revealed larger agglomerates of SiO₂ were found in the ENR composites with higher epoxide content. Furthermore, the strength and moduli of the ENR nanocomposites increased with increasing epoxide content. However, the optimal tensile strength and elongation at break were observed in the nanocomposites with the intermediate level of epoxide contents. The correlation between the strength properties and the interfacial silica‐matrix adhesion indicated that the maximum interfacial adhesion of the nanocomposites was observed in the nanocomposite with ENR35. Also, DMA results indicated stronger interaction between ENR35 and MPTS‐SiO₂ due to higher storage modulus. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:1151–1157, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effect of clay modification on the morphological,mechanical, and thermal properties of polyamide 6/polypropylene/montmorillonite nanocomposites

Polyamide 6/polypropylene (PA6/PP = 70/30 parts) blends containing 4 phr (parts per hundred resin) of organophilic montmorillonite (OMMT) were prepared by melt compounding. The sodium montmorillonite (Na‐MMT) was modified using three different types of alkyl ammonium salts, namely dodecylamine, 12‐aminolauric acid, and stearylamine. The effect of clay modification on the morphological and mechanical properties of PA6/PP nanocomposites was investigated using x‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), tensile, flexural, and impact tests. The thermal properties of PA6/PP nanocomposites were characterized using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and heat distortion temperature (HDT). XRD and TEM results indicated the formation of exfoliated structure for the PA6/PP nanocomposites prepared using stearylamine modified montmorillonite. On the other hand, a mixture of intercalated and exfoliated structures was found for the PA6/PP nanocomposites prepared using 12‐aminolauric acid and dodecylamine modified montmorillonite. Incorporation of OMMT increased the stiffness but decreased the ductility and toughness of PA6/PP blend. The PA6/PP nanocomposite containing stearylamine modified montmorillonite showed the highest tensile, flexural, and thermal properties among all nanocomposites. This could be attributed to better exfoliated structure in the PA6/PP nanocomposite containing stearylamine modified montmorillonite. The storage modulus and HDT of PA6/PP blend were increased significantly with the incorporation of both Na‐MMT and OMMT. The highest value in both storage modulus and HDT was found in the PA6/PP nanocomposite containing stearylamine modified montmorillonite due to its better exfoliated structure. POLYM. COMPOS., 31:1156–1167, 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Few‐layer‐graphene/polycarbonate nanocomposites as dielectric and conducting material

An attempt is taken to develop a flexible and light weight polycarbonate‐based nanocomposite system which could be successfully used as a dielectric material below percolation and as conducting material beyond percolation. The nanocomposite system has been prepared by solution mixing method in which few layer graphene was incorporated as conductive filler. X‐ray diffractometry, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy techniques were employed for characterization studies. The dielectric constant and conductivity were evaluated using precision impedance analyzer. Percolation threshold has been observed to occur at 3.5 wt % of few layer graphene. Dielectric constant of the nanocomposite system, in the smearing region, has been found to increase from ～3.3 (without filler) to ～70 (at 5 wt % FLG) with a dissipation factor of 0.07. The conductivity of the system was increased from 10^?9 S/cm without FLG to 10^?2 S/cm with 7 wt % of few layer graphene. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42443.     

Mechanical,thermal, and morphological properties of graphene reinforced polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene nanocomposites

Nanocomposites of polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC/ABS) with (70/30) composition containing different amounts of graphene nanoplates (GNPs) (1, 3, and 5 wt%) were prepared by melt‐blending in a twin‐screw extruder. The structural, morphological, mechanical, and thermal properties of the nanocomposites were investigated. The Young's modulus and flexural modulus of the nanocomposites were increased by 30 and 54%, respectively, when 3 wt% GNPs was added. The flexural strength and tensile strength of the PC/ABS/GNPs nanocomposites increased up to a loading of 3 wt% GNPs. The incorporation of GNPs enhanced the thermal stability and char yield of the nanocomposites. X‐ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy showed uniform dispersion and alignment of GNPs in PC/ABS matrix. The interaction between the GNPs and the PC/ABS matrix were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectra. Therefore, the PC/ABS/GNP nanocomposites with improved flexural and tensile properties, without loss of extensibility and good thermal properties may have promising applications in automotive, electric tools, household, communication, and safety appliances. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1633–1640, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers