PVA/PVP/PEG polymeric blend loaded with nano-Zn<inf>0.75−x</inf>Fe<inf>x</inf>Cd<inf>0.25</inf>S: effect of iron concentration on the optical characteristics

Abstract

Poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(ethylene glycol)/polyvinyl pyrrolidone blend loaded with nano-(Zn0.75−xFexCd0.25S) was formed by thermolysis and casting procedures. Rietveld analysis confirmed the formation of a solid solution Zn0.75−xFexCd0.25S with a single zinc blende phase of cubic structure. Upon doping with iron (Fe) ions, the cell parameter increased slightly while the crystallite size decreased. X-ray diffraction evidenced the possible formation of cross-linking between different polymers in the blend by the variation in the characteristic diffraction peaks positions of the constituent polymers upon forming blends. From the analysis of ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectra, all samples exhibited a normal dispersion. The absorbance, extinction coefficient, refractive index, dielectric constant, optical conductivity and nonlinear optical parameters of the nanofiller-loaded blend have the highest value compared with the other blends when the Fe content is 10%. The emitted fluorescence (FL) intensity and colors depended on the amount of Fe in the nanofiller. The blend with 15% Fe has the highest FL intensity as compared with other blends.