Structural and optical properties of Cu- and Fe-doped PVC films

Abstract

Thin films of polyvinylchloride (PVC) with different concentrations of Cu and Fe have been prepared using a solution growth technique. Spectrophotometric methods were employed for the estimation of the metal concentration. The metal doped PVC films were characterized using electronic spectra, infrared spectra, and electron microscopy. In Cu-PVC films, copper exists as colloidal, Cu⁺, and Cu²⁺ states. In Fe-PVC films, only Fe³⁺ is present. Incorporation of metal in PVC results in a reduction in the degree of crystallinity of the films. The presence of the metal dampens considerably the C-Cl and C-H vibrations. The introduction of Fe in the films produces a new vibration at 1050 cm^-1 which is explained in terms of interaction between Fe³⁺ and C⁺-Cl^-.