Mohammed Iqbal Shueb, Noraiham Mohamad, Norhashidah Talip, Khairil Nor Kamal Umar, Maznah Mahmud, Dewi Suriyani Che Halin, Mohd Edeerozey Abd Manaf, Mahathir Mohamed, Andrei Victor Sandu, Petrica Vizureanu, R.S. Omar
Electron beam (EB) irradiation was applied to poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVA/PVP) blend films at doses ranging from 0 to 60 kGy to tailor their structural and functional properties. Mechanical, structural, surface, and optical characteristics were evaluated using tensile testing, UV–Vis spectroscopy, contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. An irradiation dose of 30 kGy produced the most pronounced property enhancements, resulting in a 43.5% increase in tensile strength and a 270% increase in elongation at break relative to the non-irradiated film. Improved crystallinity and surface energy were observed, accompanied by a reduction in water contact angle from 84.4° to 78.3°. Optical analysis revealed a decrease in the indirect and direct band gaps to 2.94 eV and 3.34 eV, respectively, along with a maximum Urbach energy of 7.08 eV. These findings demonstrate that controlled EB irradiation provides an effective route for tuning the performance of PVA/PVP blend films.