Structural, Fluorescence and Radiation Shielding Attributes of Polyvinyl Alcohol/Carboxy Methylcellulose/x wt % ZnAl ₂ O ₄ /ZnO Polymer Composites

The preparation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) – carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) – ZnAl2O4/ZnO blended polymers and the study of their structural, fluorescence, and radiation shielding features for optoelectronic and radiation shielding uses were examined. Phase identification, crystallite size, and surface morphology of the dopant sample were investigated using Rietveld analysis. The structures of the blends were inspected by X-ray diffraction. Under the influence of diverse excitation wavelengths, the fluorescence intensity increased with the introduction of various amounts of filler into the host-blended polymers. The color coordinates resulting from the CIE 1931 chromaticity plot for all the polymer samples were computed. The mass attenuation coefficient (MAC) values for the PVA/CMC/x wt % ZnAl2O4/ZnO polymer composites (x = 0, 2, 4, 8) were 0.11396, 0.11628, 0.11627 and 0.11626 cm2/g at 0.3 MeV, respectively. At 0.5 MeV, the linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) value increased from 0.12985 cm−1 (undoped blended polymer) to 0.13867, 0.14482 and 0.15711 cm−1 when the concentration of ZnAl2O4/ZnO nanocomposite increased to 2, 4, and 8 wt% in the host polymer sample. Increasing the percentage of ZnAl2O4/ZnO nanocomposite in the PVA/CMC blended polymer sample diminished the half value layer (HVL) and tenth value layer (TVL) values.