Effects of polyaniline and silver nanoparticles on the structural characteristics and electrical properties of methylcellulose polymeric films

Abstract
In this work, novel flexible polymer composite films composed of polyaniline (PANI), silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs), and methylcellulose are fabricated for portable and wearable electronic devices. The MC/PANI/Ag composite films are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques. The synergistic effects of PANI and Ag-NPs on the electrical conductivity, dielectric permittivity, electric modulus, complex impedance, and the energy density efficiency of MC polymeric film have been determined in the frequency range of 100 Hz to 5 MHz. The XRD and infrared spectroscopy, confirmed the successful fabrication of the MC/PANI/Ag composite films. The SEM images have indicated a homogenous loading and dispersion of Ag-NPs into the MC film. The electrical conductivity has increased from 4.14x10-9 S.cm−1 for pure MC to 1.48x10-6 S.cm−1 for MC/PANI/Ag-NPs. In addition, the dielectric constant
has increased from 0.62 for MC to 1.19 for MC/PANI/Ag-NPs at 100 Hz. These results confirmed that there are significant modifications on the fabricated films, which open the road for utilizing the MC/PANI/AgNPs as flexible films for wide range of electronic applications such as batteries, electronic circuit and supercapacitor’s.
Graphical abstract