Ag-Se/Nylon Nanocomposites Grown by Template-Engaged Reaction: Microstructures, Composition, and Optical Properties

Ag-Se nanostructure films were deposited on a-Se/nylon templates by a template-engaged reaction. Firstly, amorphous selenium (a-Se) was deposited on nylon by employing the chemical bath deposition method while using H₂SeO₃ and Na₂SO₃ solutions with an increasing selenium deposition time. Then, these a-Se/nylon templates were exposed into AgNO₃ solution at ambient temperature and pressure. The Ag-Se/nylon nanocomposites surface morphology, elemental and phase composition, and optical properties were monitored depending on the selenium deposition time on nylon. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis confirmed the development of a very complex surface composed of pyramidal-like sub-micron structures, agglomerates, and grid-like structures. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) proved the presence of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, selenium, and silver. SEM/EDS cross-sectional analysis confirmed the multilayer character with different individual elemental composition in each film layer. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a polycrystalline Ag₂Se phase with or without metallic Ag. The RMS value obtained from atomic force microscopy varies from 25.82 nm to 57.04 nm. From the UV-Vis spectrophotometry, the direct optical band gaps were found to be 1.68-1.86 eV. Ag-Se/nylon composites exhibit high refractive indices in the near infrared region.