Photoprintable nanowire–polymer blends synthesized by dynamic emulsion polycondensation

Abstract

In this article, we report a photoprintable nanocomposite synthesized at room temperature in less than 10 s by aggressive mixing of two monomer solutions. Polycondensation occurs in the dispersed phase of the dynamic emulsion, microdroplets, in which the nanofillers are suspended. Hence, the synthesized composite microparticles have a high dispersion and high loading of nanofillers. Specifically, silver nanowire (AgNW)-nylon 66 blends with various Ag weight fractions are synthesized and studied. The poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP)-functionalized AgNWs (by polyol synthesis) are singly dispersed and tethered to the nylon matrix by PVP with a slight depression of the glass-transition temperature. The Ag-nylon powder melts under low-intensity visible continuous wave laser radiation; this allows convenient photoprinting of the nanocomposite structures. Photoprinting is demonstrated at a radiation intensity of 0.3 kW/cm 2 (405 nm laser) and a scan rate of 5 mm/s for a 1.49 wt % Ag content. This enhanced photothermal characteristic of the nanocomposite, which allows printing at low radiation intensities, is attributed to the efficient coupling of light to the AgNW plasmon modes and the high dispersion of nanowires in the polymer.

Enhanced stability of silver nanowire transparent conductive films against ultraviolet light illumination

“…Under the thermal gradient, silver atoms will relocate to a thermodynamically stable site by a restructuring process. AgNWs undergo a Rayleigh instability phenomenon by forming periodic spheres, and eventually separated nanoparticles [40][41][42][43]. Besides the photothermal effect, UVA light can also accelerate the oxidation of AgNWs [44][45][46][47][48][49].…”