Effect of PANI on the structural, optical and electrical properties of PMMA/PEO blended polymers loaded with CuCo2O4/MnS nanocomposite

Poly(methyl methacrylate/poly(ethylene oxide) (PMMA/PEO)/(1–x)CuCo2O4/xMnS blends with and without polyaniline (PANI) were prepared using hydrothermal, solid-state reaction and casting procedures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the transmission electron microscope techniques were applied to explore the different phases in the nanocomposite and their crystallite sizes. XRD explored the effect of nanocomposite doping on the formed blends with and without PANI. The absorption, transmittance, reflectance, extinction coefficient, optical dielectric constant, energy loss functions and optical conductivity for PMMA/PEO/(1–x)CuCo2O4/xMnS blends with and without PANI were studied using the diffused reflectance technique. The values for PMMA/PEO's direct and indirect optical band gap (Eg) are 5.06 and 4.79 eV, respectively. As 50% MnS and PANI were present in the blend loaded with nanocomposite, the direct/indirect Eg (4.89/4.49) eV values were achieved. At 500 nm, the refractive index of the blend was increased from 1.37 to 1.48 as it doped with 0.5CuCo2O4/0.5MnS. The effect of (1–x)CuCo2O4/xMnS and PANI on the fluorescence spectra of the PMMA/PEO blend was investigated. Blends exhibited varying degrees of bluish-violet color. The AC conductivity and the energy density were explored. Doping the blend with nanocomposite samples and PANI resulted in a lower energy density, with the exception of the blend containing 50% MnS and PANI, where it rose. The doped blends that were studied could be used in photocatalytic reactions.