The Critical Role of Cross-linking: Achieving Optimal Conductivity via Percolation in PVC/Ag2WO4/GO Nanocomposites Under High Gamma Dose
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This study investigates the influence of gamma irradiation (0-150 kGy) on the functional properties of PVC nanocomposite films incorporating Ag 2 WO 4 /GO fillers. The nanofillers successfully reduced the initial optical bandgap (E g ) of PVC from ≈ 3.87 eV to ≈ 3.65 eV. Irradiation consistently narrowed the E g further, reaching a minimum of ≈ 3.10 eV at 100 kGy. This was attributed to radiation-induced dehydrochlorination, which formed pi-conjugated polyene sequences, confirmed by FTIR and SEM analysis. Concurrently, the AC electrical conductivity (σ ac ) showed an inverse relationship with E g , generally increasing with dose. However, a crucial σ ac anomaly was observed: the maximum conductivity was only achieved at the highest dose (150 kGy), coinciding with a slight widening of the E g from its minimum. SEM micrographs revealed that 150 kGy induces maximum cross-linking, creating a dense network that establishes the percolation threshold for the conductive filler clusters. This demonstrates that the ultimate charge transport efficiency is governed by the structural morphology (percolation) rather than solely the electronic bandgap width (E g ). Gamma irradiation is thus established as a tunable method for transforming this composite into a gamma-ray-sensitive semiconducting material with optimal electrical properties at 150 kGy.
