Synthesis, Electrical, Dielectric Characterization of PVC/PVA Blended Polymer Films at Various Ratios (0-50%) and Their Utilization in Antibacterial Applications

Abstract

In this work, the solution casting process is used to create blends out of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). In the mix formulation, several PVA ratios (from 0–50%) were used. The resulting blends were thoroughly characterized using a variety of analytical methods, such as Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Impedance Spectroscopy. The polymer blend with 25% PVA exhibited the most favorable electrical and dielectric characteristics at room temperature, with electrical conductivity (σ'ac) measuring 4.44 x 10⁻⁷ S/cm and dielectric constant (ε') reaching 1.8 x 10⁶ SΙ. The doped blends were systematically assessed for their antibacterial effectiveness against a variety of pathogens. Results from the agar-well diffusion method indicated a significant improvement in the antibacterial activity of the pure polymers upon ZnOnps nanoparticle doping, with an inhibition zone measuring 18 mm against E. coli (Escherichia.Coli) and 19 mm against S. aureus (Staphylococus.aureus) for the nanocomposite (75 − 25%) PVC-PVA/10% ZnO. Overall, this research demonstrates the promising potential of PVA-PVC blends for antibacterial applications, with ZnONP doping showing to be an efficient technique for increasing their antibacterial activity. The thorough details of this work lay a solid platform for future research and development of these blended materials, which can be used in a variety of biotechnological and industrial domains.