Optical and temperature dependent electrical properties of poly (vinyl chloride)/copper alumina nanocomposites for optoelectronic devices

Abstract The practical applications of poly (vinyl chloride) have been constrained due to its poor thermal stability, low dielectric constant and inability to shield against ultraviolet (UV) radiation. In this study, we tried to improve the optical properties, thermal stability, temperature-dependent electrical conductivity and dielectric constant using copper alumina (Cu–Al2O3) nanoparticles reinforced poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC). Optical absorption measured with an ultraviolet-visible (UV-visible) spectrometer emphasises the blueshift in absorption edges and decreasing bandgap energies of PVC/Cu–Al2O3 nanocomposites compared to PVC. The presence of Cu–Al2O3 in PVC and its interaction with the polymer were confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrates that nanocomposites have higher thermal stability than PVC, and that thermal stability increases with filler loading. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicates the homogeneous dispersion of nanosized Cu–Al2O3 in the polymer matrix. The activation energy determined by the Arrhenius equation revealed that AC conductivity increases with the addition of nanoparticles up to a specific loading. The dielectric constant increases as a function of temperature and decreases with frequency. The magnitude of AC conductivity and dielectric constant were highest for 7 wt% loaded nanocomposites. The dielectric constant predicted by the Bruggeman and Maxwell-Garnet models were in good agreement with the experimental permittivity. The semiconducting nature of nanocomposites was investigated by impedance analysis. The semi-circular nature of Cole-Cole plots manifests the combination of parallel capacitance with low bulk resistance. The enhanced optical, thermal, electrical and dielectric properties of PVC/Cu–Al2O3 nanocomposites can be utilized in fabricating optoelectronic devices with excellent charge-storing ability.