Synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles mixed with polyfuran: a novel composite material for electrode application

In this research presenting, a new polyfuran-based silver nanocomposite is successfully developed via the chemical oxidative polymerization process with ferric chloride (FeCl3) acting as an initiator and chloroform (CHCl3) acting as an oxidant. The polymer and its composite undergo a comprehensive analysis of their structural, morphological, thermal, and electrochemical properties. The potential interaction between the pure polymer and the polymer nanocomposite, as determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) investigation, Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). XRD analysis reveals that the polymer nanocomposite’s crystallite size is 47 nm. The FESEM and EDX analysis endorse the successful inclusion of Ag nanoparticles into the polymer matrix. Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed that the polymer nanocomposite’s thermal stability was better than that of the pure polymer. Electrochemical performance was further evaluated using cyclic voltage measurements (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge testing (GCD), and electrochemical impedance (EIS). Then the obtained polymer nanocomposite exhibits lower internal resistance with a specific capacitance of 464 Fg−1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s−1. The Ragone plot indicates improved energy density, showing that the incorporation of silver nanoparticles into polyfuran enhances the electrochemical performance of electrode materials. Thus, the synthesized nanocomposite offers a promising route toward efficient electrode material.