IMPROVING UV RADIATION ABSORPTION BY COPPER OXIDE NPs/PMMA NANOCOMPOSITES FOR ELECTRICAL SWITCHING APPLICATIONS

Abstract

Nanocomposites based on the radiation absorbing polymer (PNCs) are of interest for a variety of applications including circuit breakers, UV-shielding windows, contact lenses, and glasses among others. Such PNCs can be made by incorporating suitable radiation absorbing nanoparticles into a polymeric matrix by in situ polymerization. In this study, spherical nanoparticles (5–6 nm) of oleic acid (OA) surface modified cupric oxide (CuO) are synthesized and used to improve the ultra-violet (UV) radiation absorption property of a polymer matrix, i.e., polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The synthesis of spherical CuO nanoparticles, surface modification using OA, dispersion of CuO nanoparticles with different concentrations in PMMA, and UV radiation absorption property of the resultant PNC are investigated. Two different PNCs are produced using OA modified CuO nanoparticles with different concentrations. As synthesized CuO nanoparticles and OA modified CuO nanoparticles are examined by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) techniques. The UV absorption edges are evaluated from the UV-Vis absorption spectra by using UV-Visible absorption spectroscopy. The results show that the UV radiation absorption of the PNC with higher concentration of CuO nanoparticles is improved compared with PMMA and the absorption edge moved towards longer wavelengths i.e., from 271 to 281 nm. These PNCs are successful in arc interruption process by absorbing a broad range of radiation emitted from high-energy copper arcs produced in the circuit breakers.