Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)-clay composite and intercalated nanocomposites were prepared by melt processing, using Na-montmorillonite (MMT), several chemically different organically modified MMT (OMMT) and Na-laponite clays. The polymer-clay hybrids were characterized by WAXD, TEM, DSC, TGA, tensile, and impact tests. Intercalated nanocomposites are formed with organoclays, a composite is obtained with unmodified MMT, and the nanocomposite based on synthetic laponite is almost exfoliated. An unintercalated nanocomposite is formed by one of the organically modified clays, with similar overall stack dispersion as compared to the intercalated nanocomposites. T, of ABS is unaffected by incorporation of the silicate filler in its matrix upto 4 wt % loading for different aspect ratios and organic modifications. A significant improvement in the onset of thermal decomposition (40-44 degrees C at 4 wt % organoclay) is seen. The Young's modulus shows improvement, the elongation-at-break shows reduction, and the tensile strength shows improvement. Notched and unnotched impact strength of the intercalated MMT nanocomposites is lower as compared to that of ABS matrix. However, laponite and overexchanged organomontmorillonite clay lead to improvement in ductility. For the MMT clays, the Young's modulus (E) correlates with the intercalation change in organoclay interlayer separation (Delta d(001)) as influenced by the chemistry of the modifier. Although ABS-laponite composites are exfoliated, the intercalated OMMT-based nanocomposites show greater improvement in modulus. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 110:2374-2383, 2008