Optical, mechanical and structural properties of PMMA/SiO 2 nanocomposite thin films

We have fabricated PMMA/SiO 2 nanocomposite flexible thin films of 60 μ m thicknesses by using solution casting method in the presence of transverse electric field. In this paper, we have investigated the effect of SiO 2 nanoparticle (NP) loading on optical and mechanical properties of the composite thin film. The SEM images show that nanocomposite thin films have a smoother and uniform morphology. The transmittance peak near 1103 cm −1 in FT-IR spectrum confirms the presence of SiO 2 NPs in the composite thin film. It is observed that optical bandgap decreases with an increase in the SiO 2 NP concentration. Dynamic mechanical analysis shows that presence of SiO 2 NP enhances the mechanical strength of the composite thin film.