Evaluation of physical, mechanical and biological properties of Te₂O₃/Cr₂O₃/Pr₆O₁₁ embedded in polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite

This study presents a novel polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-based nanocomposite enriched with Te₂O₃, Cr₂O₃, and Pr₆O₁₁ oxides, aimed at enhancing optical properties and antibacterial efficacy for biomedical and optoelectronic applications. Structural analysis through FT-IR, XRD, and XPS confirmed successful integration of the oxides into the PVA matrix. The nanocomposite exhibited a notable reducing in the optical band gap from 3.35 eV (PVA) to 2.75 eV (PVA-Te₂O₃-Cr₂O₃-Pr₆O₁₁), indicating improved crystalline ordering. Dielectric analysis revealed stability across frequencies, with a refractive index increase from 2.0 (pure PVA) to 2.38 (PVA-Te₂O₃-Cr₂O₃-Pr₆O₁₁), highlighting potential for electronic applications. Furthermore, the PVA-Te₂O₃-Cr₂O₃-Pr₆O₁₁ composite exhibited strong antibacterial activity, with inhibition zones of 15.5 ± 0.4 mm against E. coli and 14.2 ± 0.4 mm against S. aureus, outperforming other tested compositions. These findings suggest that this nanocomposite could be effectively utilized in biomedical devices and optoelectronics.