Assessment of performance based on morphological, structural, optical and dielectric properties of PVA polymer loaded with SiO2–ZrTiO4 nanoparticles for optical and nanoelectronics applications

Abstract A novel and low-cost optoelectronic nanocomposite films were developed based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a host polymer matrix doped with ZrTiO4 and SiO2 nanoparticles (0, 2, 4, and 6 wt.%) via the casting method. The morphology, structural, optical, and dielectric properties of the prepared nanocomposites were examined. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals that the top surface of the PVA/SiO2–ZrTiO4 nanocomposites exhibits uniform and cohesive aggregates or fragments distributed randomly. Fourier transform infrared spectra reveal a change in the intensities of certain peaks and a shift in the positions of others when compared to PVA. The absorption spectra are captured using wavelengths between 220 and 820 nm. We have computed the actual and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant, the refractive index, the attenuation coefficient, and the absorption coefficient, as well as the optical conductivity. Findings demonstrate a direct correlation between (SiO2–ZrTiO4) NPs concentration and optical constants, suggesting that higher concentrations result in higher optical constants and lower transmission. As the concentration of (SiO2–ZrTiO4) nanoparticles increases, the optical energy gap for allowed indirect transitions decreases from 4.3 eV to 3.5 eV and for forbidden indirect transitions from 3.8 eV to 2.6 eV. This result may be considered as key for various optical fields and optoelectronic nanodevices. Finally, as the concentration of SiO2–ZrTiO4 nanoparticles rises, the dielectric properties of the PVA nanocomposites, including dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and AC electrical conductivity, increase. With increasing frequency, the A.C. electrical conductivity of PVA/SiO2–ZrTiO4 nanocomposites improves, while the dielectric constant and dielectric loss decrease. All things considered, our findings suggest that PVA/SiO2–ZrTiO4 nanocomposites might be great materials for nanoelectronics and optical devices.