Abstract
This study assesses the optical properties and conductivity of PVA–H3PO4 (polyvinyl alcohol–phosphoric acid) polymer film blend irradiated by gamma (γ) rays. The PVA–H3PO4 polymer film blend was prepared by the solvent-casting method at H3PO4 concentrations of 75 v% and 85 v%, and then irradiated up to 25 kGy using γ-rays from the Cobalt-60 isotope source. The optical absorption spectrum was measured using an ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometer over a wavelength range of 200 to 700 nm. It was found that the absorption peaks are in three regions, namely two peaks in the ultraviolet region (310 and 350 nm) and one peak in the visible region (550 nm). The presence of an absorption peak after being exposed to hυ energy indicates a transition of electrons from HOMO to LUMO within the polymer chain. The study of optical absorption shows that the energy band gap (energy gap) depends on the radiation dose and the concentration of H3PO4 in the polymer film blend. The optical absorption, absorption edge, and energy gap decrease with increasing H3PO4 concentration and radiation dose. The interaction between PVA and H3PO4 blend led to an increase in the conductivity of the resulting polymer blend film.
Highlights
Polymer blending with another material can be used as an effective method to alter the resulting film blend properties
This study explores the optical properties and conductivity of PVA–H3 PO4 polymer film blend irradiated by gamma (γ) rays so that the blend can be used in diverse applications
The results show that the optical absorption peak for pure PVA was in the UV region with a wavelength of 273 nm, but the presence of
Summary
Polymer blending with another material can be used as an effective method to alter the resulting film blend properties. The potential of PVA and phosphoric acid polymeric film blends in many applications has long been explored [14,15], with emphasis on optical properties [16], electrical conductivity [17,18,19], and/or both [20]. Polymer films of PVA material mixed with acidic compounds and irradiated with electron beams were investigated for its application as radiation dosimetry [21]. For this reason, this polymer material is intensively researched. This study explores the optical properties and conductivity of PVA–H3 PO4 (polyvinyl alcohol–phosphoric acid) polymer film blend irradiated by gamma (γ) rays so that the blend can be used in diverse applications
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