Synthesis, characterization and nonlinear optical properties of silver/PVA nanocomposites

Silver/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanocomposites are prepared via quick precipitation method, using hydrazine as a reducing agent. Preparing of silver/PVA nanocomposites by this method is done for the first time. The samples are characterized by Uv-Visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Nonlinear optical properties are carried out by Z-scan technique using a blue CW laser beam operated at wavelength 405 nm. It is shown that the synthesized samples have negative nonlinear refractive index and the magnitude is in the order of 10(-8). The nonlinear refractive index increases as amount of reducing agent increases. [DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2971/jeos.2012.12040]