Fabrication of honeycomb-patterned poly(ε-caprolactone) composite films containing chemically modified silver nanoparticles

Biocompatible composites containing poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) were prepared by incorporating different weight percentages of silver (Ag) nanoparticles with the particle size of about 10 nm modified by dodecanethiol. The synthesized PCL/Ag composites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared and UV-vis spectroscopy, and the surface morphology of these composites was identified by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Honeycomb-patterned thin films with the film thickness of 20-30 mu m was fabricated by casting the composite solution under humid conditions without separation of Ag nanoparticles due to the chemical modification. The dependence of the DC conductivity and pattern structure of the thin films on Ag concentration was studied. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.