Influence of Silver Incorporation on the Optoelectronic Properties of Iodine/Iodide–Poly N-Methyl Pyrrole for Enhanced Optical Sensing
摘要
This study introduces a novel AgI/intercalated iodide–poly-N-methyl pyrrole (AgI/I-PNMP) nanospherical composite designed to enhance optical sensing performance. The composite is fabricated through a simple two-step process, where iodine is first incorporated into the PNMP matrix, followed by a reaction with AgNO3 to generate uniformly distributed AgI nanocrystals (~ 12 nm). The key innovation lies in the synergistic combination of AgI nanostructures with intercalated iodide ions within the conductive PNMP backbone, resulting in improved bandgap tuning (2.65 eV) and photon harvesting efficiency. This engineered nanostructure enhances charge transfer dynamics, offering a significant advancement over traditional conducting polymers or single-component composites. To demonstrate its functionality, a photodetector device was constructed by layering the AgI/I-PNMP composite onto a polypyrrole (PPy) substrate. Under light exposure, the device exhibited notable photoresponsivity (0.26 mA W−1 at 340 nm and 0.25 mA W−1 at 440 nm) and high detectivity values (0.59 × 108 and 0.56 × 108 Jones), confirming its superior optoelectronic response in the visible and near-UV spectrum. The integration of AgI into a redox-active polymer framework in this form has not been previously reported, offering a promising path for cost-effective, scalable, and high-performance photodetectors in light-based sensing technologies.