Preparation and characterization of silver nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide decorated electrospun polyurethane fiber composites with an improved electrical property

Abstract An approach for the preparation of silver nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide/polyurethane composites (AgNP@RGO/PU) was proposed. An electrospinning process was utilized to fabricate a lightweight and flexible PU fiber mat. Graphene oxide (GO)/PU composites were prepared using a dip-coating method. Thus there happens a hydrogen bonding interactions between the GO sheets and PU fibers. A powerful reducing agent, hydriodic acid, was used to reduce GO/PU composites which transforms into RGO/PU composites. The composite exhibited low electrical resistance (3.5 × 10 2  Ω/sq) because of reduction reaction. Furthermore, AgNPs, which were modified with thiophenol, were deposited on the RGO/PU composite through π–π interactions between the aromatic functional groups on the AgNPs and the RGO by a dip-coating method. The obtained AgNP@RGO/PU composite exhibited a remarkably enhanced electrical property (