Synthesis and Characterization of Pani/Silver Nanocomposites

Polyaniline/silver (PANI/Ag) nanocomposites were prepared by in-situ polymerization technique in the presence of silver nitrate using ammonium persulphate as an oxidizing agent. The wt% of silver is varied from 0 to 20%. The formations of Ag nanoparticles in these composites were assessed by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The XRD pattern shows the broadening of the peaks confirming the formation of nanocrystallites of silver. FESEM study also shows a nanoparticular structure for silver and it is also seen that these particles are well dispersed in the fibrillar network of polyaniline. UV-Visible spectrogram shows three peaks corresponding to one of silver and two of polyaniline in all the composites. Photoluminescence study shows that emission peak shifted towards blue when compared to that of bulk Ag and has a comparatively broad peak.