Tailoring the optical properties of PVA/PVP blend by doping with Cu/MnS nanoparticles

Abstract

PVA/PVP blend embedded with different ratios of nano Cu0.9Mn0.1S (Cu/MnS) was prepared with thermolysis and casting techniques. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the formation of nano Cu/MnS as a single hexagonal phase with an average crystallite size 11 nm. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed nearly homogenous particles morphology. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy technique was applied to characterize the Cu/MnS doped PVA/PVP matrix. UV measurements were utilized to investigate the optical properties in detail. Upon doping with Cu/MnS, the bandgap of PVA/PVP was significantly decreasing with the amount of doping; which enabling tailoring the band gap depending on the doping content. The analysis showed that the main possible transitions in pure PVA/PVP blend are indirect allowed and direct forbidden. On the other hand, for the doped blend samples, the direct allowed is the main possible transition. Moreover, the refractive index and the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant increased upon increasing the Cu/MnS amount doped.