Reinforcing the structural, optical and dielectric properties through the integration of CuO nanoparticles into PS/PMMA:NiFe2O4 electrolyte
Keywords:
NiFe2O4/CuO nanocomposite samples as advanced functional films for next-generation optoelectronic devices and high-performance energy storage systems, enabled by their precisely tailored optical and electrical characteristics.Abstract
This study reports the synthesis of copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles with diameters of 27.53 nm using the sol–gel method and their incorporation into a polystyrene/polymethyl methacrylate (PS/PMMA) blend containing nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) nanoparticles to fabricate PS/PMMA: NiFe2O4/CuO electrolyte nanocomposites via the casting technique. The structural, optical, and dielectric characteristics of the electrolyte nanocomposites were investigated using XRD, FTIR, UV–vis spectroscopy and impedance analysis. XRD results exhibited that the incorporation of CuO nanoparticles reduced the crystallinity of PS/PMMA: NiFe2O4/CuO electrolyte nanocomposites. UV/vis spectra indicated a decrease in the optical bandgap with higher CuO loading, indicating improved light absorption. Dielectric studies revealed a prominent shift in the dielectric loss peak at high frequencies and enhanced AC conductivity with increasing CuO content, underscoring superior dielectric performance. Nyquist plots exhibited non-Debye relaxation behavior, modeled via an electrical equivalent circuit, with bulk resistance decreasing significantly from (5.34 ± 0.32) × 106 Ωfor pure PS/PMMA blend to (1.50 ± 0.08) × 105 Ω for the electrolyte containing 2.0 wt% CuO. The findings highlight the strong potential of PS/PMMA: NiFe2O4/CuO nanocomposite samples as advanced functional films for next-generation optoelectronic devices and high-performance energy storage systems, enabled by their precisely tailored optical and electrical characteristics.
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