Influence of Al2O3 nanoparticles on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of PVC/PS nanocomposite for use in optoelectronic devices

• Published in: Surfaces and interfaces Vol. 51; p. 104651
• Main Authors: Alkallas, Fatemah H., Al-Ahmadi, Ameenah N., Salem, Aeshah, Mwafy, Eman A., Elsharkawy, Wafaa B., Trabelsi, Amira Ben Gouider, Motawea, Mariem M., Alshammary, Ahood Jazy, Nafee, Sherif S., Mostafa, Ayman M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.08.2024
• Subjects: Al2O3; Dielectric characteristic; Optical properties; PVC/PS; XRD; PVC/PS; XRD; Dielectric characteristic; Optical properties; Al2O3
• ISSN: 2468-0230; 2468-0230
• DOI: 10.1016/j.surfin.2024.104651

Nanocomposite films possessing favorable optical and electrical characteristics were fabricated by the process of solution casting, wherein Al2O3 nanoparticles (Al2O3 NPs) were included into a polymer blend consisting of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) research verified that the inclusion of Al2O3 nanoparticles into the PVC/PS composite decreased the crystallinity of the resultant nanocomposites. Additional diffraction peaks emerged at an angle of 66.6° at high loading of Al2O3. These peaks were identified as originating from the Al2O3 nanoparticles. The FTIR analysis showed prominent distinctive peaks at 1603 cm−1, which can be attributed to the Al-O vibrational groups. This suggests that there is an interaction between the PVC/PS polymer blend and the Al2O3 NPs. The UV-Vis spectra of the PVC/PS blend showed a peak in absorbance at 238 nm, which is linked to the π → π* transition. The optical band gap exhibited a drop in value, specifically from 4.13 to 4.02 eV for direct transitions and from 3.66 to 3.39 eV for indirect transitions, as the Al2O3 content increased from 0 to 30 wt%. The utilization of Al2O3 in the PVC/PS matrix was seen to enhance porosity and generate cavities, as demonstrated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The 20 wt% Al2O3 sample exhibited the maximum surface roughness. AC dielectric spectroscopy revealed that the addition of 30 wt% Al2O3 nanoparticles to the PVC/PS blend resulted in an improvement in electrical conductivity. In addition, when the concentration of nanoparticles was increased from 0 to 30 wt%, there was a corresponding rise in the dielectric constant from 0.3 to 4.0 at a frequency of 100 Hz and the dielectric loss from 0.01 to 0.42. The addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles leads to a decrease in the optical band gap and an improvement in the electrical characteristics. This indicates that the produced nanocomposites have potential uses in optoelectronic devices. [Display omitted]