Preparation and Characterization of Subsurface Silver Particulate Films on Polymer Blends of Polystyrene/Poly(2-vinylpyridine)/Poly(vinylpyrollidone)/Poly(4-vinylpyridine)

Pratima Parashar Pandey

doi:10.4236/snl.2015.51002

Abstract

Silver particulate thin films on softened polymer blends of Polystyrene (PS)/Poly(2-vinyl pyridine) (P2VP), PS/Poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP), and Poly(vinylpyrollidone) (PVP)/P4VP at a rate of 0.4 nm/s held at a temperature of 457 K in vacuum of 8 × 10-6 Torr by evaporation are deposited. These silver films were characterized by their electrical behavior, optical properties and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Silver films deposited on softened PS, and PVP give rise to a very high room temperature resistance approaching that of the substrate resistance due to the formation of a highly agglomerated structure. On the other hand, silver films on softened P2VP and P4VP give rise to a room temperature resistance in the range of tens to a few hundred MΩ/ which is desirable for device applications. Silver films on the composites of PS/P2VP, PS/P4VP and PVP/P4VP show resistances at room temperature. The optical and plasmonic response of Ag nanoparticles onto thin layers of blends shows encapsulation of nanoparticles. The electrical properties and SEM of silver nanoparticles on the thin layers of polymer blends indicate the formation of much smaller, narrower dispersion and wide size distribution.

Highlights

IntroductionPolymer/inorganic nanocomposites have been of great interest in recent years, for the novel properties of the nanocomposite materials and for the continuously growing demand for the miniaturization of electronics components, optical detectors, chemical and biochemical sensors and devices [1]
Polymer/inorganic nanocomposites have been of great interest in recent years, for the novel properties of the nanocomposite materials and for the continuously growing demand for the miniaturization of electronics components, optical detectors, chemical and biochemical sensors and devices [1].Polymer matrices have been frequently used as particle stabilizers in synthesis of metal colloids since these prevent agglomeration of the particles
The subsurface silver films could be deposited on PS/Poly(2-vinyl pyridine) (P2VP) (50:50), PS/P4VP (50:50, 25:75) and PVP/P4VP (50:50) which yield room temperature resistances in the range of a few tens to a few hundred M/ desirable for device applications

Summary

Introduction

Polymer/inorganic nanocomposites have been of great interest in recent years, for the novel properties of the nanocomposite materials and for the continuously growing demand for the miniaturization of electronics components, optical detectors, chemical and biochemical sensors and devices [1]. One of the simplest and eco-friendly techniques to form such particulate structures, which are generally known as island or discontinuous metal films, is through vacuum evaporation of metal on to a dielectric substrate by stopping the deposition at a very early stage. The temporal instability exhibited by island films even in vacuum is attributed to mobility of islands followed by coalescence. An interesting sub-surface particulate structure formation was reported when certain inorganic materials are deposited on to softened polymer substrates [11]-[14]. The subsurface silver films could be deposited on PS/P2VP (50:50), PS/P4VP (50:50, 25:75) and PVP/P4VP (50:50) which yield room temperature resistances in the range of a few tens to a few hundred M/ desirable for device applications

Experimental

Findings

Result and Discussion

Conclusion