Formation and properties of films based on polyvinyl alcohol and doped with silver nanoparticles

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Growing the Ag NPs in the PVA matrix during the drying of the composition. • The ability of achievement of high concentrations of Ag NPs. • The time interval during which drying PVA composition can be modified is 2.5 h. • SEM micrographs confirm the conclusions relative to the sizes of Ag NPs drawn on the basis of absorption spectra. - Abstract: Unlike traditional methods of introduction of prepared metal nanoparticles into polymer composition, in our method Ag nanoparticles (NPs) are formed in the course of drying of molding composition on the basis of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) due to slow reduction of ions Ag by "soft" organic reducing agents – quaternary ammonium compounds. The sizes of Ag NPs are determined and character of their distribution on the surface of PVA film is established by means of spectrophotometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopy. Correlation is found between the data on absorption spectra and micrographs done by means of optical microscopy, AFM, TEM and SEM. Variations of the sizes and features of Ag NPs distribution in the polymeric film are examined