Electrical conductivity, dielectric properties, and urbach energy analysis of CdO and Fe₂O₃ nanoparticle-doped PVDF–PEO nanocomposites for optoelectronic applications

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) were mixed in a matrix as a polymer blend and filled with cadmium oxide and iron (III) oxide nanoparticles. However, it suffers from several limitations in terms of low dielectric constant and conductivity. The X-ray diffraction patterns obtained after the incorporation of Fe₂O₃ showed characteristic diffraction peaks which aligned with the (222), (400), (422), (511), and (440) crystallographic planes, as confirmed by comparison with the JCPDS file No. 10–0336. Furthermore, peak shifts and intensity changes observed in all the nanocomposites in transform infrared spectroscopy spectra indicated the occurrence of intermolecular interactions between the PVDF/PEO matrix and CdO/Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles. The increase in Urbach energy was observed with higher nanofiller concentrations. This redistribution of states facilitates a higher percentage of band–to-tail and tail-to-tail electronic transitions, indicating increased disorder within the electronic structure. The thermogravimetric analysis curves for PVDF/PEO-CdO containing varying weight percentages of Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles show an initial weight loss of 16% between 17°C and 447°C. This initial mass reduction is ascribed to the evaporation of adsorbed moisture, a consequence of the hygroscopic nature of the materials. The incorporation of nanofillers resulted in enhanced conductivity compared to the PVDF/PEO matrix. The dielectric characterization exhibited by the PVDF/PEO blend loaded with CdO/Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles suggests their suitability as dielectric materials for the fabrication of insulating layers that could offer meaningfully enhanced functionality in various applications.