Exploring the optical and electric features of PMMA/PVAc blended polymers doped with TBAI/MWCNTs fillers for different applications

Abstract

The present study focuses on the production of poly (methyl methacrylate)/poly (vinyl acetate)/tetrabutylammonium iodide/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PMMA/PVAc/TBAI/x wt %MWCNTs) blended polymers. These blends show great potential for use in advanced optical, energy storage and electronics applications. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy techniques was used to explore the structure and morphology of PMMA/PVAc/TBAI with x wt% MWCNTs blended polymers. The optical transmittance lowered to a minimum value of 53–63 % within the specific wavelength range as the blend contained 0.55 wt % multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The sample containing 0.11 wt% MWCNTs demonstrated the highest reflectance (R) values, whereas the sample with 0.55 wt% MWCNTs showed the lowest R values. As the concentration of MWCNTs increased, these values consistently decreased. The smallest direct (4.55 eV) and indirect (4.45 eV and 2.48 eV) optical band gap (Eg) values were achieved when wt% of MWCNTs were 0.44 % and 0.55 %, respectively. The doped blend with wt% of 0.11 exhibited the highest refractive index values. Blend with x = 0.55 wt % MWCNTs has the highest dielectric constant. The energy density (U) increased non-uniformly as the blend was infused with MWCNTs. Elevating the temperature enhances the values of U for all blends. All blends adhered to the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) model. The effects of MWCNTs doping amount and temperature on the impedance and electric modulus of the host blend were investigated. The dc conductivity of the doped samples was observed to be greater than that of the undoped blend, except for the blend with x = 0.44, where it diminished. The undoped blend displayed activation energy (Ea) values of 1.71 eV and 0.6 eV, depending on the temperature range. When the host blend is doped with MWCNTs, the Ea values either rise or fall depending on the quantity of MWCNTs. All samples have non-ohmic characteristics.