Microwave irradiation synthesis and characterization of RGO-AgNPs/polystyrene nanocomposites

Polystyrene and reduced graphene oxide/silver (PSTY/RGO/AgNPs) nanocomposites were prepared via an in situ bulk polymerization method using two different preparation techniques. In the first approach, a mixture of silver nitrate, hydrazine hydrate, and polystyrene containing graphene oxide (PSTY/GO) were reduced by microwave irradiation (MWI) to obtain R‐(PSTY‐GO)/AgNPs nanocomposites. In the second approach, a mixture of the (RGO/AgNPs) nanocomposite, which was produced via MWI, and STY monomers were polymerized using an in situ bulk polymerization method to obtain PSTY‐RGO/AgNPs nanocomposites. The two nanocomposites were compared and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, Differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. The results indicate that the nanocomposites obtained using the first approach, which involved MWI, exhibited a better morphology and dispersion with enhanced thermal stability compared to the nanocomposites prepared without MWI. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:2318–2323, 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers