Abstract
This study demonstrates the successful preparation of pristine and modified PVC polymer films with (0.7, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 wt%) Cr(1.4)Ca(0.6)O(4) by the solution casting method. These films were characterized using XRD, FTIR, XPS, SEM, TGA, and a UV-vis spectrophotometer. The XRD confirmed the amorphous nature of PVC films and a tetragonal zircon-type structure of Cr(1.4)Ca(0.6)O(4) as a dopant in the PVC polymer. The XPS survey spectra of pristine Cr(1.4)Ca(0.6)O(4) and its composites with PVC reveal essential insights into the materials' surface composition and chemical states. The spectra clearly show peaks corresponding to O1s, Ca2p, and Cr2p, with the Cr2p signals being notably weaker than the other peaks. SEM images showed a uniform distribution of Cr(1.4)Ca(0.6)O(4) within the PVC polymer films despite the presence of some minor agglomerations. The TGA analysis revealed that incorporating Cr(1.4)Ca(0.6)O(4) enhanced the thermal stability of PVC films, particularly at a 0.7 wt% concentration of Cr(1.4)Ca(0.6)O(4). Moreover, incorporation of Cr(1.4)Ca(0.6)O(4) improved the optical parameters of PVC films, i.e., linear refractive index, nonlinear refractive index, and optical susceptibility. These findings proposed the modified PVC with Cr(1.4)Ca(0.6)O(4) for optoelectronic applications.