Effect of sample concentration on the spectroscopic and optical properties of polyvinyl chloride/Mn₂O₃ nanocomposite films for photocatalysis application

In this study, Mn₂O₃/PVC, a polyvinyl chloride doped with various Mn₂O₃ nanoparticles, is prepared, and characterized. Solution casting was used to create Mn₂O₃/PVC polymeric nanocomposite films. The X-ray diffraction method verified that the Mn₂O₃NPs were effectively disseminated in a PVC matrix with a single-phase structure. According to the Debye-Scherer formula, the crystallite size of Mn₂O₃ nanoparticles is 22.08 nm. The casting process is expected to cause Mn₂O₃ nanoparticles in the PVC matrix to aggregate. Through the construction of a hydrogen bond, FTIR validated the Mn₂O₃/PVC nanocomposite’s physical interaction. According to UV/Vis/IR analysis, the optical energy gap values decrease as Mn₂O₃ NP concentration increases. This indicates that complexes of charge transfer between the polymer and Mn-ions are developing. The investigated material demonstrated good optical limiting performance when laser sources of 533 nm were used instead of laser sources of 632.8 nm. Mn₂O₃/PVC nanocomposite can function as a photocatalyst to enhance the efficiency of Carmine dye photodegradation. The most effective Mn₂O₃/PVC nanocomposite film for the visible photocatalysis of Carmine dye is 3.33 wt% Mn₂O₃/PVC. Mn₂O₃/PVC has been shown to be a promising material for use in photocatalytic, optoelectronic, and electronic applications.