The influence of zinc oxide–cerium oxide nanoparticles on the structural characteristics and electrical properties of polyvinyl alcohol films

• Published in: Journal of materials science 2012-12, Vol.47 (23), p.8076-8084
• Main Authors: Chandrakala, H. N., Ramaraj, B., Shivakumaraiah, Madhu, G. M., Siddaramaiah
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Calorimetry; Cerium; Cerium oxides; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Dielectric loss; Differential scanning calorimetry; Diffraction; Electric properties; Electrical properties; Electrical resistivity; Electronics; Fourier transforms; Infrared analysis; Infrared spectroscopy; Materials Science; Nanocomposites; Nanomaterials; Nanoparticles; Nanostructure; Permittivity; Polymer Sciences; Polyvinyl alcohol; Polyvinyl alcohols; Scanning electron microscopy; Solid Mechanics; X-ray diffraction; X-rays; Zinc; Zinc oxide; Zinc oxides
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-012-6701-y

With the objective to investigate the influence of zinc oxide–cerium oxide (ZnO–Ce 2 O 3 ) nanoparticles on the electrical properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), PVA/ZnO–Ce 2 O 3 nanocomposite films were prepared by solution intercalation method with different weight percentage viz., 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 wt% of ZnO–Ce 2 O 3 nanoparticles. The fabricated nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effect of ZnO–Ce 2 O 3 nanoparticles on the dielectric constant ( ε ′), dielectric loss ( ε ″), electric modulus ( M ′ and M ″), ac conductivity ( σ ac ), and dielectric loss tangent (tan δ) over a range of frequencies at room temperature of PVA nanocomposites have been studied. FT-IR, XRD, and DSC analysis indicates the nature of ZnO–Ce 2 O 3 nanoparticles interaction with the PVA matrix. The morphological behavior of the nanocomposites has been performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The dielectric behaviors such as dielectric constant ( ε ′) and dielectric loss ( ε ″) increases with increase in nanoparticle concentration, but decreases with increase in frequency. But, the electric modulus ( M ′) increases with increase in frequency. Dielectric loss tangent (tan δ) decreases with increase in filler content at lower frequency, but at higher frequencies the tan δ increases with increase in nanoparticles content. AC conductivity ( σ ac ) of PVA/ZnO–Ce 2 O 3 nanocomposites increases with increasing frequency following the universal dielectric response law.