Preparation and Characterization of Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)/ZrO<sub>2</sub> Composite Membranes
Akanksha Mehto, Varsha R. Mehto, Jyotsna Chauhan
Abstract
Nanocomposite membranes of ZrO 2 ‐doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with varying amounts of ZrO 2 nanoparticles (5, 9, and 13 wt%) have been prepared via a solution casting technique. The ZrO 2 nanoparticles are used as a filler synthesized by sol–gel technique. Effects of ZrO 2 nanoparticles doping on composites’ morphological, optical, luminescence, and structural characteristics have been analyzed using atomic force microscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), UV–visible spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray photo electron spectroscopy, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. The XRD studies confirm the successful incorporation of ZrO 2 into the PVA matrix and showed improved crystallinity following the doping of ZrO 2 in PVA. The average size of ZrO 2 nanoparticles calculated by XRD agrees well with the particle size measured by transmission electron microscopy. The UV–visible studies of nanocomposite membranes show an enhancement in absorption intensity and a slight red shift in peak positions as the ZrO 2 concentration increases. The enhancement in absorption intensity suggests the potential applications in filters and solar cells. The maximum PL intensity observed for 5 wt% of ZrO 2 in the PVA/ZrO 2 composite membrane suggests that this concentration is most suitable for optoelectronic applications.