Effect of PbI 2 concentrations on structural, thermal, optical, and radiation shielding properties of PVA/PbI 2 nanocomposites

In this study, PbI ₂ nanoparticles have been doped in polyvinyl alcohol polymer (PVA) with different concentrations to form (PVA) _1−x (PbI ₂ ) _x polymer nanocomposite films with x = 0.01, 0.02,0.03, and 0.04. The synthesized films were then characterized to investigate the effect of PbI ₂ embedded nanoparticles on the properties of PVA. The morphology of the surface of the films was analyzed by scanning electron microscope (SEM), while elemental composition was studied by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The morphological study of the surfaces of the studied films revealed that the surface roughness increased with the increase of PbI ₂ concentration, with the formation of larger crystallites and more visible structural features. The optical direct and indirect band gaps of PVA were found to decrease with the increase in PbI ₂ dopants.. Additionally, the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the high surface interaction linkages between PbI ₂ and PVA, which are brought about by hydrogen bonding between the two materials, are responsible for the observed improvement in thermal stability. Furthermore, the Phy-X/PSD and XCOM programs were used to determine gamma-shielding properties at various energy ranges. The results show good agreement between the two programs. Additionally, the values of MAC for (PVA) _1−x (PbI ₂ ) _x nanocomposites are increased with increasing PbI ₂ contents. HVL decreases with an increase in the PbI ₂ doping. This confirms that x = 0.04 is the most effective shielding material.