Acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS)/nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) blends in the composition of 90/10 filled with anhydrous cobalt chloride (CoCl2) particles are successfully prepared to investigate the impact of CoCl2 on the composites properties. The coordination reaction between CoCl2 particles and nitrile groups in both ABS and NBR phase is generated by heat pressing at 190 °C for 15 min. Fourier transform infrared and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy are used for the investigation of the coordination reaction. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy are utilized to study microstructure of the composites. It is found that the solid‐state coordination reaction takes place between nitrile groups (‐CN) and cobalt ions (Co2+), which leads to increases in mechanical properties and glass transition temperature (Tg). The tensile strength and impact strength of ABS/NBR/CoCl2 composites are improved by about 14% and 29%, respectively, in contrast to that of pure ABS, with the CoCl2 loading in the range of 5–7 wt %. The studies of scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy demonstrate that the discrete NBR components are dispersed uniformly in ABS phase and the CoCl2 particles tend to disperse in NBR phase, which promotes the toughness of the composites. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46747.