Optical and electronic characterization of P(VDF-TrFE)/La2O3 nanocomposite films

In this study, the pristine and La2O3-embedded poly vinylidene fluoride/trifluoroethylene [P(VDF-TrFE)] thick films were fabricated via solution casting technique and optical and dielectric properties investigated. P(VDF-TrFE)] is a potential candidate for electromechanical and acoustic sensors, actuators, energy harvesting and nonvolatile memory applications. Infrared vibrational spectroscopy (Raman) revealed enhancement of β-phase in the composite films. At room temperature, in the ultraviolet-visible range both the absorption and the optical bandgap (Eg) increased in nanocomposite films. Dielectric properties for nanocomposite films have been measured as a function of frequency in the range of 1 kHz to 1 MHz and temperature in the range from 20 °C to 80 °C. The dielectric results show increase in real and imaginary part of dielectric constant with temperature and volume fraction of La2O3 nanoparticles dispersed. The ac and dc activation energies were found to decrease with increase in volume fraction of nanoparticles following Arrhenius relationship. Thus, showing the conduction was thermally activated.