Effects of La₂O₃ and SrO on the Electrical and Mechanical Properties of Ultrasound-Assisted Cast Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) Polymer Membranes

This study investigates the effects of lanthanum oxide (La₂O₃) and strontium oxide (SrO) on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer membranes. The PVA membranes, fabricated using an ultrasound-assisted casting method, include variations with (PVA-SrO), (PVA-La₂O₃), and a combination of both metal oxides (PVA-SrO-La₂O₃). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that these membranes exhibit a combination of semi-crystalline and amorphous properties, with the introduction of crystalline peaks due to the addition of SrO and La₂O₃. Electrical performance assessments, conducted using an I-V source meter and impedance spectroscopy, demonstrate that the metal oxide composite membranes showed improved performance. Mechanical properties were evaluated using Load–Displacement curves, where PVA-SrO-La₂O₃ exhibited the highest elongation with a value (ɛ) of 134, as measured by Young's modulus, and a resistance value of 12.230 kΩ.