Summary: This work investigated the effects of polystyrene-co-maleic anhydride (SMA) compatibilizer on morphology and properties of acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene (ABS)/zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocomposites. The ABS/ZnO nanocomposites were prepared by using an internal mixer and were then molded by compression method. In order to improve adhesion between the filler and the matrix, SMA has been used as compatibilizer in the nanocomposites. ABS/ZnO nanocomposites showed the storage modulus increased with increasing ZnO content and showed a maximum at 3 wt%. The addition of SMA improved Young's modulus and stiffness of ABS/ZnO nanocomposites at low ZnO content. While the impact strength and tensile strength of ABS/ZnO nanocomposites before and after adding SMA decreased with increasing of ZnO loading. The glass transition temperatures were not significantly changed when both ZnO and SMA were incorporated. The dielectric constant of ABS/ZnO nanocomposites before adding SMA increased in a range of 1-5 wt% of ZnO. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation showed the better dispersion and compatibility of ZnO particles in ABS/ZnO nanocomposites with the addition of SMA.

Mechanical and morphological properties of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)/zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocomposites used ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) as compatibilizer were investigated. The ABS/ZnO nanocomposites without and with EVA 4 wt% were prepared by melting-blend with an internal mixer. The results showed that the addition of ZnO nanoparticles did not improve the mechanical properties of ABS/ZnO nanocomposites. The impact strength of the ABS/ZnO nanocomposites decreased with increasing ZnO content. The addition of EVA in ABS showed a decrease the impact strength but increased after adding ZnO in ABS/EVA matrix. The ABS/ZnO nanocomposites with EVA was higher the percent strain at break, but lower Young’s modulus, tensile strength and impact strength than the neat ABS and ABS/ZnO nanocomposites. The percent strain at break of ABS/ZnO nanocomposites increased with incorporation of EVA all ZnO compositions. However, the poor compatibility between ethylene in EVA and ABS matrix reduced as most of the mechanical properties of ABS/EVA/ZnO nanocomposites. The ZnO particle distributions in nanocomposites were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which observed that ZnO particles agglomerated in ABS and ABS/EVA matrix. The fractured surfaces of impact test samples were also observed through SEM and revealed that the ductile fracture of ABS was converted to brittle fracture with addition of ZnO.