Synthesis and dielectric properties of polyvinyl chloride/zinc oxide nanocomposites

Because of its special structural and functional characteristics, poly(vinyl chloride)/zinc oxide nanocomposite (PVC/ZnO) exhibits great potential in a variety of electrical, optical, water treatment, and medical applications. According to that, this study was carried out to examine the AC electrical properties of the prepared PVC/ZnO nanocomposite films using the AC impedance techniques. The PVC/ZnO nanocomposite films were prepared by casting method by weight% concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0% ZnO nanoparticle. Each mixture was fabricated in film and casted in 5 cm × 5 cm glass caste. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the nanocomposites samples. The results of the FTIR spectroscopy analysis of the PVC/ZnO nanocomposites confirmed the presence of peaks characteristic of the vibration of the ZnO bond. XRD revealed that pure PVC films are partially crystalline with hallow peak but ZnO nanoparticles have wurtzite structure, and the nanocomposite films were almost the same as those of ZnO with decrease in the degree of crystallization, causing increase in the amorphous region. The surface of the films was analyzed by SEM, which becomes rough with some small aggregates compared with pure PVC with good distribution in the entire surface region with bright spots. The electrical properties AC conductivity (${\sigma }_{\mathrm{Ac}}$), real dielectric constant (${\in }^{\prime }$), imaginary dielectric constant (${\in }^{″}$), real electrical modulus ($M^{\prime }$), and imaginary electric modulus ($M^{″}$) were studied in the frequency range 2–6 MHz and temperature range 293–313 K for the prepared film studied. The results showed that the properties of the PVC/ZnO nanocomposite films were found to be dependent on the frequency, and the concentration of the ZnO nanoparticle in the PVC polymer matrix. In addition, the results of the study show that there is a sharp increase in the ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{Ac}}$, with increasing of temperature. In contrast, the other parameters, that is, ${\in }^{\prime }$, ${\in }^{″}$, $M^{\prime }$, and $M^{″}$ are temperature independence.

Highlights

• PVC/ZnO nanocomposite films with different weight% concentrations of ZnO nanoparticle were prepared.
• AC electrical properties were measured using AC impedance techniques.
• The nanocomposites samples were characterized using FTIR, XRD, and SEM.
• Electrical properties ${\sigma }_{\mathrm{Ac}}$, ${\in }^{\prime }$, ${\in }^{″}$, $M^{\prime }$, and $M^{″}$ were found to be frequency and temperature dependences.