Structural and Functional Analysis of Selenium Nanoparticles-Modified PVA/CMC Nanocomposites: Implications for Electrochemical Devices

This study examines SeO2-doped PVA/CMC nanocomposites synthesized through a green method using mountain thyme leaf extract. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were successfully incorporated into the PVA/CMC polymer matrix, with XRD analysis confirming hexagonal selenium nanoparticles of 55 nm average crystallite size. FTIR spectroscopy revealed characteristic Se-O vibrations at 570 and 475 cm−1, indicating effective integration of SeNPs into the polymer network. Dielectric measurements across 0.1 Hz to 10 MHz showed that the dielectric constant and loss decreased with increasing frequency but increased with SeNP concentration. Temperature-dependent studies (303-333 K) demonstrated enhanced charge carrier mobility at higher temperatures, while impedance analysis revealed non-Debye type relaxation behavior. These findings suggest potential applications in electrochemical devices, particularly where tunable electrical properties are desired.