Ag2S deposited on oxidized polypropylene as composite material for solar light absorption.

Thin film metal chalcogenides are superior solar light absorbers and can be combined into a functional material when deposited on polymeric substrates. Ag2S composite materials were synthesized on oxidized polypropylene using chem. bath deposition method and their properties were explored using XRD, XPS, AFM and UV-Vis. Polypropylene surfaces were modified using soln. methods to introduce hydrophilicity via carboxylic group formation which resulted in Ag2S film deposition and adhesion. These films showed slightly sulfur enriched compn. from XPS anal. with the sulfate-like species forming, presumably at the oxidized polymer surface sites. Ag2S particle growth mechanism included nucleation and rather large (few μm) aggregate formation eventually covering the complete polymer surface, as inferred from AFM anal. Absorption edge of the composite material shifted toward the higher wavelength in UV-Vis spectrum with the no. of Ag2S exposure times showing a decreasing bandgap and the possibility of obtaining tunable optical property Ag2S-polymer composites using CBD methods. [on SciFinder(R)]