Optical properties of solution grown PVDF-ZnO nanocomposite thin films

The optical properties have been investigated using EDX, UV–Visible spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The nanocomposite formation was confirmed using EDX as well as UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy. Raman study confirms the β phase of PVDF. The UV–Vis spectroscopy accounts for a significant continuous decline in optical band gap and optical activation energy, while increase in refractive index with ZnO nanoparticles incorporation. The results imply that the effectiveness in shielding of UV radiation is due to absorption capacity of ZnO nanoparticles incorporated in PVDF. The increase of absorption in the UV-region of the spectrum is due to the excitations of donor level electrons to the conduction band at these energies. This decrease of band gap may be attributed by presence of unstructured bulk defects. The optical properties of nanocomposite thin films were shown to depend on ZnO content and possessed the most optimal optical properties.