A novel chiston-g-poly(acrylic acid)/organo-rectorite (CTS-g-PAA/OREC) nanocomposite superabsorbent was synthesized by aqueous polymerization using N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide as a crosslinker and ammonium persulfate as an initiator. Rectorite was organified with four different degree of hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide, and the organification of rectorite was proved by FTIR and XRD. The effect of organification degree of rectorite on water absorbency of CTS-g-PAA/OREC with different organo-rectorite content was investigated. The swelling behaviors in distilled water and various pH solutions were also studied. The results from IR spectroscopy and XRD data show that acrylic acid had been grafted polymerization with chitosan and organo-rectorite and formed nanocomposite. Introducing organo-rectorite into the CTS-g-PAA polymeric network can improved water absorbency and swelling rate of CTS-g-PAA/OREC. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 110:678-686, 2008