Impact of MWCNTs on the structural, electrical, and optical characteristics of PVA/PANi blends

Abstract

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/0.25% polyaniline (PANi)/x wt % MWCNTs (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 0.8, 1) blends were formed. The X-ray diffraction technique was used to investigate the formation of the different blends. The effects of the MWCNTs amounts on the optical parameters and emitted colours of the different blends were investigated. The optical band gaps for PVA/0.25% PANi/x wt % MWCNTs blends are 3.24, 3.13, 3.05, 2.99, 2.84, and 2.95 eV when the MWCNTs amounts in the blends become 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 0.8, and 1 wt %, respectively. The modifications in optical band gaps upon loading PVA/ PANi with MWCNTs indicated that the investigated blends are promising candidates for solar cell and photocatalysis applications. The DC conductivity exhibited a maximum value in the blend with 0.8 wt% MWCNTs. All blends have two activation energies. The influence of MWCNTs amounts on the dielectric constant, AC conductivity, impedance, electric modulus, characteristic frequency, and Nyquist plot of the different blends was examined.