Regular Article

Brillouin spectroscopy study of the radiation resistance of ferroelectric copolymer filled with Al₂O₃ and ZnO nanoparticles

¹ University of Mentouri Brothers, Faculty of Technology Sciences, Department of Electronics, Microwave and Semiconductors Laboratory (LHS), 25000 Constantine, Algeria
² Jean Lamour Institute, UMR CNRS 7198, University of Lorraine, 54506 Vandoeuvre lès Nancy, France
³ Hubert Curien Laboratory, University of Lyon, University of Saint-Etienne, 42000 Saint-Etienne, France

^a e-mail: sousielectro@hotmail.fr
^b e-mail: brice.vincent@univ-lorraine.fr

Received: 13 October 2016
Revised: 1 November 2016
Accepted: 3 February 2017
Published online: 31 March 2017

Abstract

Hybrid nanocomposite materials based on oxide nanoparticles incorporated in polymer matrix have been extensively studied in the last two decades. The purpose of the investigation was to study the ability of these materials to withstand radiation environments such as those encountered in nuclear power plants. Two nanocomposite polymers have been developed and characterized. They are based on a P(VDF-TrFE) matrix filled with either ZnO nanoparticles or Al₂O₃ nanoparticles. All nanocomposites were irradiated with two different types of particles (neutron and X-rays). For such materials, Brillouin spectroscopy can provide information on both elastic and elasto-optic variation with the radiation dose. This research points out that this technique also provides a good diagnostic of chemical and structural modifications induced by radiations.