Structural, Optical and Electrical Studies on Poly(methyl methacrylate) Polymer Loaded with CuCo2O4/CuS Mixtures

Abstract

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)/(1-x)CuCo2O4/xCuS (x = 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5) nanocomposites polymers were formed using hydrothermal, solid state and solvent casting procedures. The structure of the filler and polymer nano-composite samples were examined using an X-ray diffraction technique. The impacts of the (1-x)CuCo2O4/xCuS mixture on the diffuse absorption, transmittance, reflectance, extinction coefficient, refractive index, optical dielectric constant, energy loss functions and optical conductivity were investigated. The absorbance of PMMA/(1-x)CuCo2O4/xCuS changed depending on the percentage of CuS in the nanocomposite. The optical band gaps (Eg ) for PMMA were 4.52 and 4.46 eV, directly and indirectly, respectively. The sample with x = 0.25 produced the lowest direct/indirect Eg values, 4.34 and 3.79 eV. The fluorescence spectra of the undoped and doped PMMA polymers were explored. Depending on the filler composition in the PMMA/(1-x)CuCo2O4/xCuS samples, the emitted colors could be modulated. The effects of the (1-x)CuCo2O4/xCuS mixture as a function of the dielectric constant, dielectric loss, ac conductivity and electric modulus of the host polymer were examined.