Nanocomposite Nanofibers of Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) Electrospun from Dimethylsulfoxide

In this study, DMSO was used as the solvent and composite nanofibers of PAN with 1 and 3w% AgNO 3 content were electrospun. Then silver nanoparticles were in situ synthesized by chemical reduction. The effect of silver nitrate amount on the morphology, conductivity and mechanical properties of PAN/AgNPs composite nanofibers were investigated. Beadless and uniform composite nanofibers, the diameters of which were in the 499-515 nm range, were successfully electrospun. The breaking stress and breaking elongation of PAN/Ag composite nanofibers were higher than the neat PAN nanofibers. The conductivity was improved to around 10 -8 S/cm with the incorporation silver nanoparticles.