Effects of Cu ₂ O nanofiller on the structural and linear/nonlinear optical characteristics of the PVP/SA/Cu ₂ O nanocomposites for optoelectronics applications

In this study, the materials (PVP/SA/Cu 2 O) composed of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), sodium alginate (SA) and cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) were fabricated successfully for application in optical devices. The successful addition of Cu 2 O to the (PVP/SA) matrix was confirmed by energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray photoelectron (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. The EDX results show the uniform distribution of the nanofiller in the polymer chain. The XPS showed the interacting bonding and compatibility of the Cu 2 O with the polymer matrix. The optical parameters in the wavelength range of 200–2500[Formula: see text]nm were obtained using a UV/VIS optical spectrophotometer. The band gap energy decreases from 3.63[Formula: see text]eV for PVP/SA to 3.27, 3.19 and 2.63[Formula: see text]eV, respectively, for PVP/SA/Cu 2 O-1, PVP/SA/Cu 2 O-2 and PVP/SA/Cu 2 O-3, while the absorption edge reduced from 2.42[Formula: see text]eV for PVP/SA, to 1.66, 1.46 and 1.34[Formula: see text]eV. The Urbach energy increased from 1.52[Formula: see text]eV, respectively, to 1.82, 2.03 and 2.18 eV. Moreover, the dispersion energy increased from 9.08[Formula: see text]eV for PVP/SA to 10.95, 12.53 and 15.39[Formula: see text]eV, while the static refractive index changed from 2.77 to 3.17, 3.47 and 4.21. This study primarily focused on investigating the linear and nonlinear optical characteristics of the PVP/SA/Cu 2 O composite for optoelectronic applications, emphasizing its structural and optical performance.