Preparation of soluble polyimide–silver nanocomposites by a convenient ultraviolet irradiation technique

The soluble polyimide (PI)–silver nanocomposites were synthesized successfully by a novel convenient ultraviolet irradiation technique. Two precursors (AgAc, AgNO3) were used as the sources of the silver particles. Transmission electron microcopy showed that two types of silver particles with diameters of 6–10 and 15–20 nm, respectively, were homogeneously dispersed in the PI matrix. X-ray diffraction results were well corresponding to the size of the smaller silver particles, and the larger silver particles may be the aggregates of the smaller ones. The absorption peaks due to the surface plasmon resonance of the silver particles in the two PI–silver nanocomposites was observed at 420–430 nm in the ultraviolet–visible (UV–VIS) absorption spectra.