One-pot synthesis of highly stable silver nanoparticles-conducting polymer nanocomposite and its catalytic application

Herein, we report the preparation of highly stable Agnano–PEDOT nanocomposite by one-pot fashion in acidic condition using 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) as a reductant and polystyrene sulfonate (PSS−) as a dopant for PEDOT as well as particle stabilizer for silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The above nanocomposite denoted as Agnano–PEDOT/PSS− nanocomposite. The formation of AgNPs with concomitant EDOT oxidation was followed by UV–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy at different time intervals. Agnano–PEDOT/PSS− nanocomposite shows absorption bands at 380 and above 700 nm, which correspond to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) peak of AgNPs and oxidized PEDOT, respectively. Agnano–PEDOT/PSS− nanocomposite was characterized by infrared (IR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and XRD. TEM study reveals that AgNPs are distributed uniformly around PEDOT polymer with an average particle size diameter of 10–15 nm. In addition, Agnano–PEDOT/PSS− nanocomposite was tested for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol. For comparing stability, we were also synthesized AgNPs in the absence of PSS− (denoted as Agnano–PEDOT) using EDOT as reductant. UV–vis spectrum of Agnano–PEDOT nanocomposite revealed that AgNPs prepared in the absence of PSS− was not stable.