Formation of silver nanoparticles during deposition onto viscous-fluid epoxy resin

A new method is proposed for synthesizing metallic nanoparticles in a polymer matrix. These nanoparticles are synthesized during thermal vacuum evaporation of a metal (4.8 $\times$ 10$^{-6}$ g/cm$^2$) onto the surface of viscousfluid epoxy resin (at a viscosity of 20–120 Pa s) having room temperature, which is well below the glass transition temperature of the polymer. As a result, epoxy resin layers containing silver nanoparticles in their volume form; these nanoparticles are studied by transmission electron microscopy and optical absorption spectroscopy. Various types of disperse structures formed by metallic nanoparticles in the polymer are detected. The morphology of the composite material is found to be controlled by the polymer viscosity and the metal deposition time.