Nanoparticle Size and Concentration Dependence of the Electroactive Phase Content and Electrical and Optical Properties of Ag/Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Composites

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

A.C. Lopes (Author) Other; Sónia Carabineiro (Author) FEUP; Manuel Fernando R Pereira (Author) FEUP; G. Botelho (Author) Other; S. Lanceros-Mendez (Author) Other

Journal

Title: ChemPhysChem

Vol. 14

Pages: 1926-1933

ISSN: 1439-4235

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 38 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 46 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-006-A0E

DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201300174

Abstract (EN): This paper describes the processing of silver-nanoparticle-doped poly(vinylidene fluoride). The effects of the concentration and size of the filler on the electroactive phase of the polymer and the optical and electrical properties are discussed. Spherical silver nanoparticles incorporated into the poly(vinylidene fluoride) polymeric matrix induce nucleation of the electroactive phase. The electroactive phase content strongly depends on the content and size of the nanoparticles. In particular, there is a critical nanoparticle size, below which the filler losses its nucleation efficiency due to its small size relative to that of the polymer macromolecules. Furthermore, the presence of surface plasmon resonance absorption in the composites is observed, which once again shows a strong dependence on the concentration and size of the particles. The absorption is larger for higher concentrations, and for a given concentration increases with particle size. This behavior is correlated to the electrical response and is related to the extra bands and electrons provided by the nanoparticles in the large energy band gap of the polymer.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8