Abstract

This paper presents the synthesis, characterization of the nanocomposite of silver and chitosan polymer composite reinforced by cellulose fibre and its electrical behaviour in presence of water vapour. The coated paper has been characterized by XRD, IR, SEM and EDX techniques. The size of silver nanoparticles is found to be around 9 nm and deposited uniformly. Chitosan, as well as cellulose, contain a hydrogen attached to electronegative nitrogen and oxygen. This gives a favourable environment for the formation of hydrogen bonds. IR peaks of the composite infer the intermolecular hydrogen bonding between the two constituents. The SEM pictures show that the coating of the fibres with nanoparticles is quite uniform. EDX analysis shows that the coated filter paper has sufficient amount of silver along with carbon and oxygen. The coated paper shows good sensitivity towards humidity. It gives excellent linearity in response with a concentration of water vapour after heat treatment of composite at 130 °C. The sensitivity of the sensor is 0.8 MΩ per unit of relative humidity. Sensing properties originate from protonic conductivity from adsorbed water molecule.

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