ENHANCEMENT OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY IN POLYVINYL ALCOHOL FILMS BY DOPING WITH Nd3+ IONS

The electrical properties of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films have been improved pronouncedly by doping with Neodymium (III) nitrate hexahydrate. Pure PVA and PVA: Nd3+ films have been prepared by solution casting method. Both type of films were characterized by X-ray diffraction technique for structural studies. XRD pattern shows the appreciable shift of 2Ө towards higher value with increase in Nd3+ concentration. This signifies the presence Nd3+ dopant in polymer matrix. Further direct current electrical conductivity (σ) of Nd3+ doped PVA films in the temperature range 500C-1600C has been studied using four probe techniques. For a given concentration σ increases with increase in temperature and with dopant concentration. At 1200C, conductivity of PVA: Nd3+ (10 mol %) film is 7.116 μΩ -1 cm-1 , PVA: Nd3+ (15 mol %) film is 11.176 μΩ-1 cm-1 , PVA: Nd3+ (20 mol %) film is 17.418 μΩ-1 cm-1 and PVA: Nd3+ (25 mol %) film is 23.740 μΩ -1 cm-1 . This result indicated the enhancement of the electrical conductivity of PVA films with Nd3+ concentration.