Preparation and properties of nano‐CaCO 3 /acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene composites

CaCO 3 /acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS) and CaCO 3 /ethylene‐vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA)/ABS nanocomposites were prepared by melting‐blend with a single‐screw extruder. Mechanical properties of the nanocomposites and the dispersion state of CaCO 3 particles in ABS matrix were investigated. The results showed that in CaCO 3 /EVA/ABS nanocomposites, CaCO 3 nanoparticles could increase flexural modulus of the composites and maintain or increase their impact strength for a certain nano‐CaCO 3 loading range. The tensile strength of the nanocomposites, however, was appreciably decreased by adding CaCO 3 nanoparticles. The microstructure of neat ABS, CaCO 3 /ABS nanocomposites, and CaCO 3 /EVA/ABS nanocomposites was observed by scanning electron microscopy. It can be found that CaCO 3 nanoparticles were well‐dispersed in ABS matrix at nanoscale. The morphology of the fracture surfaces of the nanocomposites revealed that when CaCO 3 /EVA/ABS nanocomposites were exposed to external force, nano‐CaCO 3 particles initiated and terminated crazing (silver streak), which can absorb more impact energy than neat ABS. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008