Synergistic interactions between silver decorated graphene and carbon nanotubes yield flexible composites to attenuate electromagnetic radiation.

The need of today's highly integrated electronic devices, especially working in the GHz frequencies, is to protect them from unwanted interference from neighbouring devices. Hence, lightweight, flexible, easy to process microwave absorbers were designed here by dispersing conductive multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) and silver nanoparticles decorated onto two-dimensional graphene sheets (rGO@Ag) in poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). In this study, we have shown how dielectric losses can be tuned in the nanocomposites by rGO@Ag nano-hybrid; an essential criterion for energy dissipation within a material resulting in effective shielding of the incoming electromagnetic (EM) radiation. Herein, the conducting pathway for nomadic charge transfer in the PCL matrix was established by MWNTs and the attenuation was tuned by multiple scattering due to the large specific surface area of rGO@Ag. The latter was possible because of the fine dispersion state of the Ag nanoparticles which otherwise often agglomerate if mixed separately. The effect of individual nanoparticles on microwave attenuation was systematically assessed here. It was observed that this strategy resulted in strikingly enhanced microwave attenuation in PCL nanocomposites in contrast to addition of individual particles. For instance, PCL nanocomposites containing both MWNTs and rGO@Ag manifested in a SET of -37 dB and, interestingly, at arelatively smaller fraction. The SE shown by this particular composite makes it a potential candidate for many commercial applications as reflected by its exceptional absorption capability (91.3%).

Extraction of Silver by Glucose.

Unprecedented silver ion leaching, in the range of 0.7 ppm was seen when metallic silver was heated in water at 70 °C in presence of simple carbohydrates, such as glucose, making it a green method of silver extraction. Extraction was facilitated by the presence of anions, such as carbonate and phosphate. Studies confirm a two-step mechanism of silver release, first forming silver ions at the metal surface and later complexation of ionic silver with glucose; such complexes have been detected by mass spectrometry. Extraction leads to microscopic roughening of the surface making it Raman active with an enhancement factor of 5×10(8) .