Owabomate Young-Harry
Research Mentor: Mark Hammig
Mentor Department: Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, Engineering
Author(s): Owabomate Young-Harry, Gabrielle Grey, Mark Hammig
Session: Session 7 (4:00 PM – 4:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 20
Abstract
With the advancement of technology in sensing, electronics, optics and energy storage requiring conductors that are both lightweight and flexible, a new class of conductors is needed. Current flexible conductive materials often involve a trade-off between electrical conductivity and mechanical flexibility; metal-based conductors provide excellent conductivity but poor mechanical durability, whereas polymer-based conductors are flexible but comparatively resistive. Previous studies have shown that composites of metal nanoparticles and aramid nanofiber (ANF) are able to overcome this limitation by the integration of metal nanoparticles in a robust polymer matrix that acts as a scaffold. For these composites to be viable in materials applications, these metal nanoparticles require uniform and full integration into the ANF matrix. Uniformity allows for the formation of percolation networks and even-distribution which reinforces the electrical and mechanical properties respectively. To achieve this, silver nanoparticles,which are chosen for its exceptional conductivity, are synthesized in aqueous solution containing silver nitrate and trisodium citrate dihydrate heated to a rolling boil reducing silver to ions before growth into nanoparticles size stabilized by polymeric ligands.The nanoparticles are bonded to the ANF matrix. With this method, nanoparticle size, shape, weight fraction and uniformity are mutable. Aqueous dispersion of nanoparticles are characterized using ultraviolet spectroscopy allowing for analysis of size distribution and morphology while silver-ANF composites are primarily characterized using the JEOL IT500 Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) obtaining electron dispersive x-ray and spectroscopy data and microstructure analysis. This project focuses on the mechanisms that influence the uniformity of integration: temperature, pH, concentration of silver, ratio of silver precursor to trisodium citrate dihydrate. This study will improve and inform nanoparticle synthesis for the uniform integration that will enable high percolation of electron charge through our samples resulting in highly conductive composites.
