Preparation and structural characteristics of hybrid nanocomposites for optical devices

This work demonstrates that incorporating cerium oxide (CeO₂) nanoparticles effectively tailors the surface and interfacial interactions within the cellulose acetate (CA) matrix, resulting in significant enhancements in the optical characteristics of the CA/CeO₂ nanocomposite. The successful formation of the CA/CeO₂ composites using the solution casting method was confirmed through scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The FTIR identified the characteristic functional groups of CA and revealed strong interactions of CA and CeO₂. EDX verified the effective incorporation of CeO₂ in CA matrix, while TEM showed well-dispersed CeO₂ with sizes 6 to 31 nm. The optical properties of CA and CA/CeO₂ composite films were systematically investigated. The bandgap decreased from 4.22 eV for CA to 4.09, and 3.94 eV for composites containing CA/3.0%CeO₂, and CA/4.5%CeO₂, respectively. In contrast, the band tail increased from 1.11 eV for CA to 1.82, 2.70, and 2.85 eV respectively for CA/1.5%CeO₂, CA/3.0%CeO₂, and CA/4.5%CeO₂. These results demonstrate that tailoring surface and interfacial interactions through CeO₂ incorporation effectively modifies the optical behavior of CA, highlighting the potential of CA/CeO₂ composite for optoelectronic applications.