In this work, acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS)‐based nanocomposites with different muscovite concentrations (1–5 wt%) treated by ion exchange process were prepared by melt compounding. The influence of ion exchange and muscovite amount on the morphological, structural, and flexural properties was examined using wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and three‐point bending test. The modified muscovite significantly enhanced basal spacing and CTA+ molecules successfully intercalated into the gallery of muscovite. The morphology indicated that organomuscovite (OM) dispersed well in ABS resin and the intercalated‐exfoliated structures of ABS nanocomposites were, respectively, formed. Conversely, contact angle measurements revealed that increasing OM loading would increase the hydrophobicity of ABS nanocomposites. The flexural properties showed that the flexural strength and modulus were improved by 10% and 28%, respectively, in comparison to neat ABS. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:3562–3572, 2019. © 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers