Metal-polymer composites comprising nanostructures and applications thereof
View Patent ↗Metal-polymer composites, and methods of making and use thereof, said composites comprising a thermally-cured dense polyaniline substrate; an acid dopant; and, metal nanostructure deposits wherein the deposits have a morphology dependent upon the acid dopant.
1. A metal-polymer composite comprising:
a) a thermally-cured dense polyaniline substrate;
b) an acid dopant; and,
c) metal nanostructure deposits wherein the deposits have a morphology dependent upon the acid dopant.
2. The metal-polymer composite of claim 1 , wherein the metal nanostructure deposits comprise a metal selected from the group consisting of silver and gold.
3. The metal-polymer composite of claim 1 , wherein the acid dopant is selected from the group consisting of tartaric acid, camphosulfonic acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, mandelic acid, poly(styrene sulfonic acid), para-toluenesulfonic acid, and combinations thereof.
4. The metal-polymer composite of claim 1 , wherein the metal nanostructure deposits are sheets, cubes, spheres, needles, rods, or wires.
5. The metal-polymer composite of claim 1 , wherein the nanostructure deposits are wires.
6. The metal-polymer composite of claim 1 , wherein the metal is silver and the acid dopant is citric acid.
7. The metal-polymer composite of claim 1 , wherein the metal is silver, the acid dopant is para-toluenesulfonic acid, and the nanostructure deposits are wires.