An Insight into the Impact of Nano CuCo₂O₄ Doping on the Optical and Dielectric Performance of PMMA/Carbon Nanoparticles

Abstract

The blends obtained were subjected to characterization using SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and XRD (x-ray diffraction). By utilizing diffuse reflectance measurements, an extensive investigation into different optical properties was carried out, covering energy band gap, refractive index, extinction coefficient, dielectric constant, conductivity, as well as nonlinear optical properties. After the incorporation of CNPs /CuCo2O4 in the polymer, the transmittance of the PMMA experienced a decline from 92% to 42%, while the absorbance, reflectance and refractive index exhibited an increase. As the blend incorporated CuCo2O4, a continuous reduction in both direct and indirect optical band gap energies of PMMA (4.94 and 4.69 eV) was observed attaining 4.4 and 4.37 eV for 2.5 wt.% CuCo2O4, respectively. It is noteworthy that the initially inadequate optical conductivity of PMMA exhibited a significant improvement, leading to enhanced linear and nonlinear optical parameters with increasing CuCo2O4 doping levels. Analysis of fluorescence spectra (FL) revealed a decrease in FL intensity and a shift in maximum position as the CuCo2O4 content (x) increased, resulting in the generation of the CIE chromaticity diagram. Dielectric measurements provided insights into the impact of CuCo2O4 content on alternating current (AC) conductivity, energy density, dielectric properties, and electric modulus across all blends.