A. Atta, Alhulw H. Alshammari
This study used the solution casting fabrication approach to successfully synthesize a flexible polymer nanocomposite of cerium oxide (CeO2) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The EDX and FTIR studies were utilized to validate the successful production of the PVC/CeO2 nanocomposite. The CeO2 nanoparticles dispersed throughout the polymer matrix, as shown by the EDX image mapping. Using a UV-vis spectrophotometer in the frequency range of 190 to 1200 nm, the optical absorbance of the PVC and PVC/CeO2 films was determined at room temperature. To determine the optical characteristics, Tauc’s relation was used. The band gap energy decreased from 5.68 eV of the PVC to 4.13 eV, 4.04 eV, and 3.34 eV when 1%, 5%, and 10% CeO2 were added, respectively. Meanwhile, the absorption band edge shrank from 5.78 eV to 4.17 eV, 4.09 eV, and 4.03 eV, respectively. The findings demonstrated that the created composites have unique properties that made them suitable for use in optical devices.