{"title":"Flexible poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate)/copper oxide nanocomposites: A promising avenue for energy storage applications","authors":"M. Shini , M.T. Ramesan","doi":"10.1016/j.matchemphys.2024.130095","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of metal oxide nanoparticles in polymeric materials to improve optical properties, dielectric constant, mechanical strength, and electrical conductivity has generated significant interest in fabricating flexible optoelectronic and energy storage devices. Herein, copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticle-reinforced poly (ethylene-<em>co</em>-vinyl acetate) (EVA) nanocomposites were prepared using a solvent-free two roll mill mixing method. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis reveals the distinct absorption peaks of CuO in the EVA matrix. The addition of CuO nanoparticles improved the crystallinity of EVA, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The addition of CuO to EVA led to an increase in the refractive index and a decrease in bandgap energy, as well as a broadening and intensification of UV–visible absorption, indicating strong interactions between CuO nanoparticles and the EVA matrix. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) revealed a homogeneous dispersion of CuO nanoparticles throughout the EVA matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated that the incorporation of CuO nanoparticles into EVA significantly enhanced its thermal properties. The electrical characteristics studies showed that the AC conductivity and dielectric constant of EVA increased significantly with increasing temperatures and CuO nanoparticle loading levels. EVA containing 5 wt% CuO exhibited the highest conductivity and the lowest activation energy. CuO nanoparticle reinforcement significantly enhanced the tensile, tear, and impact strength of EVA while reducing elongation at break up to a particular concentration. The nanocomposites containing 5 wt% CuO exhibited the highest tensile, tear resistance, and impact strengths, outperforming virgin EVA by 85 %, 103.6 %, and 83.16 %, respectively. These findings suggest that EVA/CuO nanocomposites are promising candidates for flexible dielectric materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18227,"journal":{"name":"Materials Chemistry and Physics","volume":"329 ","pages":"Article 130095"},"PeriodicalIF":4.3000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Materials Chemistry and Physics","FirstCategoryId":"88","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0254058424012239","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MATERIALS SCIENCE, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The use of metal oxide nanoparticles in polymeric materials to improve optical properties, dielectric constant, mechanical strength, and electrical conductivity has generated significant interest in fabricating flexible optoelectronic and energy storage devices. Herein, copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticle-reinforced poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) nanocomposites were prepared using a solvent-free two roll mill mixing method. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis reveals the distinct absorption peaks of CuO in the EVA matrix. The addition of CuO nanoparticles improved the crystallinity of EVA, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The addition of CuO to EVA led to an increase in the refractive index and a decrease in bandgap energy, as well as a broadening and intensification of UV–visible absorption, indicating strong interactions between CuO nanoparticles and the EVA matrix. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) revealed a homogeneous dispersion of CuO nanoparticles throughout the EVA matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated that the incorporation of CuO nanoparticles into EVA significantly enhanced its thermal properties. The electrical characteristics studies showed that the AC conductivity and dielectric constant of EVA increased significantly with increasing temperatures and CuO nanoparticle loading levels. EVA containing 5 wt% CuO exhibited the highest conductivity and the lowest activation energy. CuO nanoparticle reinforcement significantly enhanced the tensile, tear, and impact strength of EVA while reducing elongation at break up to a particular concentration. The nanocomposites containing 5 wt% CuO exhibited the highest tensile, tear resistance, and impact strengths, outperforming virgin EVA by 85 %, 103.6 %, and 83.16 %, respectively. These findings suggest that EVA/CuO nanocomposites are promising candidates for flexible dielectric materials.
在聚合物材料中使用金属氧化物纳米颗粒来改善光学性能、介电常数、机械强度和导电性能,已引起人们对制造柔性光电和储能设备的极大兴趣。本文采用无溶剂双辊研磨混合法制备了氧化铜(CuO)纳米粒子增强聚(乙烯-醋酸乙烯)(EVA)纳米复合材料。傅立叶变换红外(FTIR)分析显示 EVA 基体中的 CuO 有明显的吸收峰。经 X 射线衍射(XRD)证实,CuO 纳米粒子的加入提高了 EVA 的结晶度。在 EVA 中添加 CuO 会导致折射率增加、带隙能降低以及紫外可见吸收的扩大和增强,这表明 CuO 纳米粒子与 EVA 基体之间存在强烈的相互作用。场发射扫描电子显微镜(FE-SEM)和高分辨率透射电子显微镜(HR-TEM)显示,氧化铜纳米颗粒均匀地分散在整个 EVA 基体中。差示扫描量热法(DSC)和热重分析(TGA)表明,在 EVA 中加入 CuO 纳米粒子可显著提高其热学特性。电学特性研究表明,EVA 的交流电导率和介电常数随着温度和 CuO 纳米粒子含量的增加而显著提高。含 5 wt% CuO 的 EVA 具有最高的导电率和最低的活化能。CuO 纳米粒子增强显著提高了 EVA 的拉伸强度、撕裂强度和冲击强度,同时降低了特定浓度下的断裂伸长率。含 5 wt% CuO 的纳米复合材料表现出最高的拉伸强度、抗撕裂强度和冲击强度,分别比原始 EVA 高出 85%、103.6% 和 83.16%。这些研究结果表明,EVA/CuO 纳米复合材料有望成为柔性介电材料。
期刊介绍:
Materials Chemistry and Physics is devoted to short communications, full-length research papers and feature articles on interrelationships among structure, properties, processing and performance of materials. The Editors welcome manuscripts on thin films, surface and interface science, materials degradation and reliability, metallurgy, semiconductors and optoelectronic materials, fine ceramics, magnetics, superconductors, specialty polymers, nano-materials and composite materials.