Exploiting the applicative potential of hydroxyethyl cellulose-based composites by composition-tailoring of the optical and dielectric features

Abstract

This work deals with the preparation of a novel set of ternary polymer composites, where the matrix is a cellulose ether and the reinforcement agent is a 50:50 mixture of TiO2nanoparticles with PbCl2micropowder (0.25–4 wt%). The attained film samples are investigated from morphological, optical, and electrical points of view to explore the applicative potential as LED encapsulants or flexible dielectric layers for capacitors. Morphological analyses at micro- and nanoscale evidence the level of distribution of the fillers blended within the matrix. UV-VIS spectroscopy and refractometry emphasize that at 0.5 wt% the samples display the best balance between transparency and high refractive index, which matches the applicative criteria for LED encapsulation. The electrical testing with broadband dielectric spectrometer proves that the dielectric constant at 1 kHz of the composite with 4 wt% fillers is enhanced by about 6.63 times in comparison to the neat polymer. This is beneficial for designing eco-friendly and flexible dielectrics for capacitor devices.