Hopping Conductivity and Dielectric Relaxations in Ag/PAN Nanocomposites

The dependence of the conductivity and electric modulus of silver/polyacrylonitrile nanocomposites on the frequency of an alternating electric field has been studied at different temperatures and starting mixture AgNO3 contents. The frequency dependences on the conductivity of the nanocomposites in the range of 10(3)-10(6) Hz are in good agreement with the power law f(0.8). The observed relaxation maxima in the relation of the imaginary part of the electric modulus on the frequency can be explained by interfacial polarization. It was shown that the frequency dispersions of conductivity and electric modulus were well described by the Dyre and Cole-Davidson models, respectively. Using these models, we have estimated the relaxation times and the activation energies of these structures. A mechanism of charge transport responsible for the conductivity of nanocomposites is proposed. An assumption is made regarding the presence of Ag-4(2+) and Ag-8(2+) silver clusters in the polymer.

Automated summary

The study investigates the frequency dependence of the conductivity and electric modulus of silver/polyacrylonitrile nanocomposites, revealing a power law relationship between conductivity and frequency, as well as the impact of interfacial polarization on the imaginary part of the electric modulus. The frequency dispersions of conductivity and electric modulus are well described by the Dyre and Cole-Davidson models, allowing for the estimation of relaxation times and activation energies. The proposed mechanism of charge transport in nanocomposites involves the presence of Ag-4(2+) and Ag-8(2+) silver clusters within the polymer.