Enhancement of the optical, electrical, and dielectric properties of PEO/CMC matrix via Na2Pc dye additive for optoelectronic devices.

In the present study, polymer composite samples were fabricated using the casting technique by incorporating varying weight percentages (0.0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 wt%) of sodium phthalocyanine (Na2Pc) particles into a polymeric blend of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). XRD analysis demonstrated that the pure polymer blend exhibits an amorphous nature, while the Na2Pc-filled samples exhibited distinct crystalline reflections associated with the filler. SEM analysis reveals that the addition of Na2Pc to the PEO/CMC matrix alters the surface morphology from a smooth and uniform texture to a rougher one due to aggregation. FT-IR spectroscopy revealed the compatibility and miscibility of the blend components via hydrogen bond formation, as well as interactions/complexation between the host matrix and the Na2Pc dye. UV-Vis spectroscopy indicated that the inclusion of Na2Pc reduces the indirect optical bandgap from 3.46 eV in the pure matrix to 2.63 eV at the highest loading level. Electrical measurements revealed significant improvements in both AC conductivity (σac) and dielectric properties of the composite films (PEO/CMC-Na2Pc) compared to the unloaded blend. For instance, at 1 kHz, the σac increased from 8.58 × 10-9 S/cm to 3.27 × 10-8 S/cm as the Na2Pc content rose to 0.4 wt%. These results indicate that the composite films possess unique physical properties, underscoring their potential for application in advanced technologies such as optoelectronic devices and electrical systems.