Dielectric Properties of PMMA Films Reinforced with Ag/rGO Hybrid Composites

Nanocomposite materials consisting of polymer matrices and nano-sized fillers have fascinated scientists with their superior functional properties, attained at relatively low filler loading. In this work, nanocomposite films of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)-reinforced with different concentrations of partially reduced graphene oxide/silver (rGO/Ag) hybrid were prepared in two different solvents following an ex situ chemical method. By employing solvent casting, all the samples were prepared as free-standing films. The structural and morphological characterisations of a GO/Ag hybrid and the as-prepared film samples were done with different tools such as x-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). Chemical microanalysis of the nanohybrid was carried out by energy-dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. Dielectric properties of these films have been carried out at room temperature in the frequency range of 100 Hz-2 MHz using an LCR meter, and these films show considerable changes in their properties when loaded with GO/Ag hybrid nanocomposites. The filler and solvent-dependent properties shown by the free-standing films make them a promising candidate for the fabrication of flexible energy storage devices.