Enhanced thermo-mechanical performance and strain-induced band gap reduction of TiO2@PVC nanocomposite films

The present paper reports the fabrication of TiO2@PVC nanocomposites by incorporating TiO2 in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) followed by solution casting to prepare TiO2@PVC nanocomposite thin films. The as-prepared TiO2@PVC nanocomposite films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, optical spectroscopy and mechanical strength analyses. The TiO2@PVC nanocomposites were found to be thermally and mechanically more stable compared with pure PVC. The anatase TiO2 in the TiO2@PVC nanocomposite showed a lower indirect band gap compared with pure TiO2, which can be attributed to the strain within the nanocomposite, thereby affecting the band-structure of the nanocomposite. Significant enhancement in the mechanical properties of TiO2@PVC compared with pure PVC was observed with a 10 wt% TiO2 loading, such as a 50% increase in Young's modulus and almost 100% improvement in the tensile strength.