Regular Article

Tailoring the optical properties of PC/ZnS nanocomposite by γ radiation

¹ Physics Department, College of Science, Jeddah University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
² Physics Department, Faculty of Science Yanbu, Taibah University, Yanbu, Saudi Arabia
³ Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
⁴ Department of Physics, College of Science, Qassim University, Buraidah, Qassim, Saudi Arabia
⁵ Department of Physics and Astronomy, College of Science, P.O. BOX 2455, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
⁶ Physics Department, College of Science, Taibah University, Al-Madina al Munawarah, Saudi Arabia
⁷ Physics Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt

^* e-mail: samin273@gmail.com

Received: 5 March 2021
Received in final form: 9 April 2021
Accepted: 5 May 2021
Published online: 28 May 2021

Abstract

Chemical coprecipitation methodology in atmospheric air has been used to prepare Zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanoparticles (NPs); EDTA-ethylenediamine was used as stabilizing agent. Then ex-situ casting technique was used to synthesis nanocomposite (NCP) from Polycarbonate polymer (PC) and the synthesized ZnS NPs. Detection analysis of XRD records demonstrated that synthesized ZnS adjusts cubic zinc blend construction of lattice constant matches 5.345 Å and an average grain size 4nm. PC/ZnS NCP samples were irradiated with doses of gamma radiation in the range 25‑230 kGy. The modifications in optical parameters of the irradiated NCP samples were investigated using UV spectroscopic analysis and CIE color variation technique. Tauc's model and optical dielectric loss assisted in estimating the optical band gap (E_g) and to recognize the type of electronic transition. E_g decreased from 3.83 to 3.00 eV upon increasing the radiation doses γ up to 230 kGy; demonstrating the enhancement of the amorphous phase in the NCP. This was conveyed by an increase in the refractive index. Moreover, the color variations were explored using UV transmission spectra and the CIELAB color space methodology. The γ radiation causes a reduction in green and blue color components, conveyed by an increase in whiteness. This led to a noteworthy color variation that is applicable in marketable imitation on printing press.