Abstract
This report describes the photo chromic activity of nano silver chloride particles impregnated polyvinyl alcohol thin film fabricated by solvent casting method. The nano size silver chloride particles have been prepared by wet chemical route in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone as a capping agent. Evaluation of the structural features of silver chloride and their polymer composites was performed by employing FTIR, SEM, AFM, UV-Vis. analysis and XRD data. AFM analysis reveals the size of silver chloride particles in the range of 80 nm. From the SEM image, the morphology of the nano particles used in this study has been explored. The XRD pattern of the prepared AgCl nano particles exhibits characteristic peaks in the X-ray diffraction corresponding to FCC geometry. The photochromic ability of the polymer matrix towards visible light has been examined through UV- visible spectrophotometer. The opaque state of the materials is observed when the polymer matrix was exposed to sunlight and turns transparent on keeping the substrate in the dark. The percentage of transmittance of the film during the exposure to sunlight and in the dark was measured and reported.
Keywords: AgCl nano particles using PVP, opaque analysis, photochromism, PVA polymer film, transmittance.