Abstract
A well-dispersed self-assembled silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) ink with high purity was synthesized via AgNO3 emulsion prepared by blending an AgNO3 aqueous solution and a liquid paraffin solution of both polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (Tween 80) and sorbitan monooleate (Span 80). The ink remained as an emulsion at low temperatures; however, it produced AgNPs after sintering at about 60°C and showed a high stability at nanoscale sizes (with diameters ranging 8.6–13.4 nm) and a high conductivity. During the whole procedure, Tween 80 acted as a surfactant, reductant and stabilizer. Presumably, Tween 80 underwent an autoxidation process, where a free radical of an α-carbon of ether oxygen was formed by hydrogen abstraction. The mean diameter of emulsion droplets could be reduced by decreasing water content and increasing the ratio of surfactant and concentration of AgNO3 aqueous solution. Consequently, the thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction result clarified the purity of the produced Ag0. Dynamic light scattering and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy clarified that an increased concentration of AgNO3 decreased the particle size.
Highlights
Electroconductive ink has remarkable significance in printing or drawing circuits for flexible electronics [1,2]
Our results show that an increase in the ratio of Tween 80 leads to an increase, a decrease of the maximum emulsifiable water content
It is already established that the mixture becomes a water in oil (W/O) nanoemulsion with a high paraffin content, high surfactant blend content and low water content
Summary
Electroconductive ink has remarkable significance in printing or drawing circuits for flexible electronics [1,2]. Carbon black [3] or carbon nanotube-epoxy resin composites [4,5] have been employed as representative electroconductive inks for screen printing in the early times of printed electronics. The synthesis of nanomaterials by the conventional emulsion method requires two kinds of solutions or emulsions: oxidant and reductant types [27,28,29]. This multiple-step operation would incur an unnecessary wastage of chemicals and time. The multifunctionality of Tween 80 could simplify and control AgNP generation, wherein a silver nitrate solution is the sole reagent needed in addition to the surfactants
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