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

Fatemah H. Alkallas, Ameenah N. Al-Ahmadi, Aeshah Salem, Eman A. Mwafy, Wafaa B. Elsharkawy, Amira Ben Gouider Trabelsi, Mariem M. Motawea, Ahood Jazy Alshammary, Sherif S. Nafee, Ayman M. Mostafa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

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.

Original languageEnglish
Article number104651
JournalSurfaces and Interfaces
Volume51
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2024

Keywords

  • AlO
  • Dielectric characteristic
  • Optical properties
  • PVC/PS
  • XRD

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