A mathematical model of MHD radiative Carreau nanofluid is investigated for laminar, steady and incompressible flow. The power law under the influence of heat generation/absorption and radiation is taken into consideration. The impact of the first-order chemical reaction of Carreau nanoparticles through the stationary cylinder is added to the novelty of the problem. The geometrical model comprises the effects of thermophoresis and Brownian motion. The governing conservation flow equations are converted into non-linear ordinary differential equations by suitable similarity transformations. The emerging non-linear governing equations are tackled by a numerical technique called the Runge–Kutta method of fourth order. The insight of the physical significances of the problem is presented graphically using MATLAB Software BVP4C. The interference impacts of Carreau nanofluid flow characteristics are presented in the formation of velocity field, temperature field and concentration field distributions. The non-dimensional physical parameters, magnetic parameter, radiation parameter, thermophoresis parameter, Brownian motion parameter, Weissenberg parameter and chemical reaction parameter are analysed. This investigation outlined that the Magnetic field slows down the momentum of Carreau Nanofluid to reduce the governing flow. For small values of chemical reaction parameter decelerates the concentration field as well as concentration boundary layer thickness. The radiation parameter increases boundary layer thickness. © 2021 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.