Structural and linear/nonlinear optical characteristics of flexible polypyrrole/CuO polymeric composite films.

The composite (PPy/CuO) films are created using the solution casting solution method by mixing the polymer polypyrrole (PPy) with copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) at different concentrations of CuO (4%, 6% and 8%). The XRD confirms the effective fabrication of the composite (PPy/CuO). The impact of CuO on the optical and structural characteristics was studied. The addition of CuO enhances the refractive indices ( n o) of PPy from 1.42 for pure PPy to 1.55 for PPy with 4% CuO, and further to 1.69 for PPy with 8% CuO. The dispersion energy of pure polypyrrole (PPy) is 4.55 eV, which increased to 5.31 eV when doped with 4% CuO. Furthermore, the increasing of CuO concentration to 6% and 8% resulted in higher dispersion energies, respectively, of 5.87 and 6.14 eV. The oscillation energy E 0 decreased from 4.43 eV for PPy to 3.76, 3.41 and 3.25 eV for PPy/4%CuO, PPy/6%CuO and PPy/8%CuO, correspondingly. The introduction of CuO into the PPy polymer results in modifications to its optical characteristics. Additionally, there was an observed rise in the plasma frequency from 0. 0 4 × 1 0 1 4 s − 1 for PPy to 0. 1 4 × 1 0 1 4 s − 1 for PPy/8%CuO. The findings of this study offer empirical support for the possible use of PPy/CuO films in optical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]