Synergistic effect of silver nanoparticles decorated graphene quantum dots nanohybrids reinforced polyaniline ternary nanocomposites on optical, thermal, and dielectric properties

ABSTRACT

In situ synthesized graphene quantum dots (GQDs) decorated with green synthesized AgNPs (AgNPs@GQDs) hybrid nanofillers reinforced polyaniline (PANI) ternary nanocomposites was synthesized by in situ polymerization. The UV-Vis spectroscopy showed the presence of AgNPs at 402 nm in AgNPs@GQDs hybrid nanofillers, and a charge transfer complex was formed between PANI matrix and AgNPs@GQDs hybrid nanofillers. The direct optical band gap of the ternary nanocomposites calculated from UV-Vis analysis is found to be 3.085 eV, which indicates the ternary nanocomposite may be used for solar cell applications. The Fourier transfer infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy represented the occurrence of interphase interactions between the ternary nanocomposites. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) data showed the positions and intensities of the hybrid nanofillers and PANI matrix. The morphology of the ternary nanocomposites was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) attributed to the thermal degradation of the ternary nanocomposites. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) showed the oxygen reduction potential of the ternary nanocomposites. Photoluminescence (PL) activity of the ternary nanocomposites was confirmed by fluorescence spectroscopy. The AC conductivity of the ternary nanocomposites significantly increases as compared to pure PANI due to the presence of uniformly distributed hybrid nanofillers within PANI matrix.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• Silver nanoparticles
• graphene quantum dots
• hybrid nanofillers
• polyaniline
• ternary nanocomposites
• materials properties

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Credit authorship contribution statement

Ananaya Kesh, Shreelata Behera, Pooja Mohapatra, and Lipsa Shubhadarshinee: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft; Saleja Sahoo, Annada Mishra, Bigyan Ranjan Jali, and Priyaranjan Mohapatra: Data curation, Formal analysis; Aruna Kumar Barick: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Methodology, Resources, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Project administration, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – review and editing.

Additional information

Funding

Dr. A. K. Barick acknowledges the Start-Up Research Grant funded by Faculty Research Promotion Schemes (FRPS) of the University Grants Commission (UGC)-Basic Scientific Research (BSR) Scheme via Letter No.: F.30–131/2015 (BSR) dated September 27, 2021.