Electrical and Optical Properties of Poly(vinyl chloride)/ZnS Nanocomposites Exposed to Gamma Radiation

• Published in: Materials research (São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil) Vol. 26; p. 1
• Main Authors: Guimarães, Nara E., Ximenes, Érika R. B., Silva, Lindomar Avelino da, Santos, Renata Francisca da Silva, Araújo, Elmo Silvano, Aquino, Kátia Aparecida da Silva
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Sao Carlos Universidade Federal do Sao Carlos, Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais 01.01.2023; ABM, ABC, ABPol; Associação Brasileira de Metalurgia e Materiais (ABM); Associação Brasileira de Cerâmica (ABC); Associação Brasileira de Polímeros (ABPol)
• Subjects: Additives; Compatibilizers; Electrical properties; Electrical resistivity; ENGINEERING, CHEMICAL; Flexible components; gamma radiation; Gamma rays; gap band; Insulation; MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY; METALLURGY & METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING; Nanocomposites; Optical properties; Optical-electronic devices; Polyvinyl chloride; Semiconductor materials; Zinc sulfide; gamma radiation; Optical-electronic devices; gap band
• ISSN: 1516-1439; 1980-5373; 1980-5373
• DOI: 10.1590/1980-5373-mr-2022-0308

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is considered one of the most versatile polymers due to its interaction with different additives. On the other hand, binary sulfides have wide applications as zinc sulfide (ZnS), one of the first discovered semiconductors. This study aims to synthesize a nanocomposite material containing nano ZnS in the PVC matrix with a surfactant as a compatibilizer agent to evaluate its optical and electrical properties when exposed to gamma radiation. Our results showed that adding ZnS at 0.5 wt% concentration in the PVC matrix promoted the system from insulating to the semiconductor material. Therefore, gamma radiation has played an important role in nanocomposites' optical and electrical properties with changes in electrical and electrical conductivity, constant dielectric parts, refraction index, optical band gap, and Urbach energy. Thus, our study points to the development of nanocomposite material, semiconductors, and features useful for applications in flexible electronics or optical-electronic devices.