synthesis and band gap modulation of polyaniline with the incorporation of silver nanoparticles

silver–polyaniline (ag–pani) nanocomposite was synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline with ammonium peroxy disulphate as an oxidizing agent in the presence of hydrochloric acid (hcl) and silver nanoparticles (ag nps). silver nanoparticles are prepared by sodium borohydride reduction method. synthesized ag–pani nanocomposite was characterized by using uv–visible (uv–vis) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (fe-sem). ag nps with diameter 35–60 nm were observed in fe-sem images. uv–visible spectra of the synthesized nanocomposite showed a sharp peak at 380 nm corresponding to the surface plasmon resonance (spr) of the silver nanoparticles (ag nps) embedded in the polymer matrix which is overlapped by the polaronic peak of polyaniline appearing at that wavelength. increasing content of silver nanoparticles decreases the optical band gap of nanocomposite. the electrical conductivity of polyaniline–silver nanocomposite increases with increase in silver nanoparticle content.