Influence of Incorporation of Gallium Oxide Nanoparticles on the Structural and Optical Properties of Polyvinyl Alcohol Polymer

In the present work, gallium oxide nanoparticles (nGa(2)O(3)) are synthesized via the thermal microwave combustion method, while nanocomposites of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer with various concentrations (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 wt%) of nGa(2)O(3) are prepared by the casting technique. The structural characterization of nGa(2)O(3), PVA, and films of PVA-Ga2O3 nanocomposites are studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The HRTEM and XRD examinations showed that the prepared nGa(2)O(3) has an average crystallite size of similar to 5.6 nm and particle size of similar to 0.9 mu m. The FTIR analysis reveals the occurrence of some interactions between nGa(2)O(3) and the functional groups of the PVA structure. On another side, the refractive index, absorption coefficient, and optical bandgap (E-g) were determined using the Wemple-DiDomenico single oscillator model. It was shown that E-g slightly reduced from 3.61 to 3.55 eV with increasing the Ga2O3 content to 3 wt%, while raised again up to 3.58 eV for 5 wt% Ga2O3. Other optical characteristics such as the optical density, extinction coefficient, optical susceptibility, thermal emissivity, optical sheet resistance for the PVA-Ga2O3 nanocomposites are investigated. The linear and nonlinear optical parameters together with their dependencies on the doping ratio reveals the qualification of PVA-Ga2O3 nanocomposites for nonlinear optical applications.

Automated summary

Gallium oxide nanoparticles were synthesized through thermal microwave combustion method and nanocomposites with PVA polymer were prepared. Structural characterization and optical properties were studied, showing potential for nonlinear optical applications.