Structural, Morphological, and Thermal Characterization of PVA/ZnO/Ag Nanocomposites Prepared by Electrochemical Incorporation of Silver Nanoparticles

PVA/ZnO and PVA/ZnO/Ag nanocomposites were successfully prepared using solution-processing and electrochemical incorporation techniques. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were applied for the characterization of the structural, morphological, elemental, and thermal properties of the prepared nanocomposites. By XRD, generalized semi-crystalline diffraction halos were confirmed to be characteristic of the PVA matrix, while no clearly defined ZnO or Ag diffraction peaks were obtained, reflecting low nanoparticle loading, decreased crystallinity, nanoscale dispersion, and overlaps with the dominant polymer background. The SEM micrographs show heterogeneous agglomerated nanoscale-submicron surface structures present in the polymer matrix with moderate particle-sized distribution behavior. EDS analysis revealed high carbon and oxygen content, in combination with small inorganic elemental contributions, constituting the polymer matrix. TGA analysis indicated a total weight loss of about 99.46% for PVA/ZnO nanocomposite at 900°C and a total loss of about 97.68% for PVA/ZnO/Ag nanocomposite, indicating minor improvement in residual thermal stability upon addition of Ag. In general, the prepared nanocomposites demonstrated satisfactory structural integration, heterogeneous nanoscale morphology, and polymer-dominated thermal degradation behavior.