Characterization of metal nanoparticles / conducting polymer composite films prepared by radiation technique

Abdo Mohd Meftah  , Elias Saion , Mohd Maarof B Hj Abd Moksin , Hishamuddin B Zainuddin

Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University Putra Malaysia,

43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Corresponding author

 Email: meftah_2010@yahoo.com

Hand phone l: 0129726141

Abstract

Nanotechnology provides the ability to designer the properties of materials by controlling their size, and this has driven research toward a multitude of potential uses for nanomaterials. It has been demonstrated that, in the case of noble-metal nanoparticles, the electromagnetic, optical and catalytic properties are highly influenced by shape and size . Composites of conducting polymer – metal nanoparticles are of great interest in modern physical and chemical researchers due to their unique physical and chemical properties, which are distinct from those of the bulk metal and molecules .Conducting polymer – metal nanoparticles can be used in diverse fields such as electronics, electrocatalystics and optoelectronics. Conducting polymer and metal nanoparticles blended in polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) was synthesized by irradiating as films containing monomer and metal salt at different concentrations with gamma radiation technique. In the same time the conducting polymer and metal nanoparticles were formed due to oxidation of monomer and reduction of metal ion respectively by radiation. The structure analysis of conducting polymer  – metal nanoparticles films were studied by X-Ray diffraction system which appears different diffraction peak angles respectively .The optical properties were investigated using UV –Vis spectrophotometer that show optical absorbance peak at l= (780 , 430) nm of conducting polymer  and metal nanoparticles respectively .From the UV-spectrum the band gap energy (E_g) was deduced and found to be decreases from (1.4, 2.8) eV at 10 kGry to (1.2,2.52) eV at 50 kGry for conducting polymer  and metal  nanoparticles respectively.

Keyword: Nanocomposites, metal nanoparticles, conducting polymer.