Resistive switching of in situ polymerized polystyrene matrix copolymerized with alkanedienyl passivated Si nanoparticles

•Si NPs were prepared by oxidation and etching then alkyl passivated with 1,9-decadiene.•Alkanedienyl passivated Si NPs were in situ copolymerized in resistive switch layer.•Resistive switching with ITO/PS-Si NPs/Al device was characterized by I–V hysteresis.•Write–read–erase–read operations were repeatedly demonstrated by cyclic sweep. Silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) were synthesized by chemical oxidation and etching method and capped using alkanedienyl passivation by covalent attachment of 1,9-decadiene to form resistive switching element. The alkanedienyl passivated Si NPs were in situ copolymerized into polystyrene (PS) matrix with monomer of styrene to form a polymerized resistive switching layer consisting in structure of ITO/PS-Si NPs/Al device. Write–read–erase–read operations controlled by bias were demonstrated in the device. These results can be extended to development for very thin resistive switching device based on organic solution process.