Fabrication and characterization of silver nanoparticles/PVA composites for flexible electronic application

Abstract

The use of silver nanoparticles/ polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composites for flexible electronic has attracted enormous attention due to its prominent mechanical and electrical properties. In the present study, AgNPs produced from chemical reduction method were used to fabricate AgNPs/PVA composite with different amount of AgNPs loadings (0.1 - 0.5 wt%). The effect of trisodium citrate concentration on the properties of AgNPs was investigated. The structure and morphology of the synthesized AgNPs were characterised using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UVvisible (UV), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was found that increasing concentration of trisodium citrate resulted in decreasing size of AgNPs. The as-prepared AgNPs were then dispersed into an PVA matrix, to form electrically conductive flexible thin film. Addition of AgNPs in PVA results in 3 order increased in electrical conductivity of composite film from 0.1 wt% to 0.5 wt% AgNPs.