Studies on Dielectric Properties and AC-Conductivity of Cellulose Polyvinyl Alcohol Blends

The infrared spectra of xanthated cellulose and its blends with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in different ratios were investigated. The dielectric constant, loss tangent, and AC-conductivity of the prepared blends were measured at different temperatures (293–373K) in the frequency range (100 Hz–5 MHz). The decrease in the dielectric constant ε′ was observed with increasing frequency due to dielectric dispersion. On the other hand, the dielectric constant was increased by increasing both PVA percentage in the blend and temperature, which related to the polar nature of polyvinyl alcohol. A loss peak was observed in the power factor (tan δ) spectra, which referred to the relaxation, arises from the orientation of polar groups. AC-conductivity was also studied. The results were interpreted in terms of electronic conduction via hopping processes.