Effect of UV irradiation on the structural and optical properties of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) doped with chromium nitrate

Abstract

Chromium nitrate (CrNo3) doped PMMA films with concentration range of 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, and 3% mass fraction were prepared by the solution casting technique.Optical properties of these filmswere estimated by measuring absorption, transmission spectra in UV and visible range. From the absorption edge studies the values of optical band gap (Eopt) were calculated. It was found that such values decrease by increasing Cr content where as the values of the absorption edges were decreased.Moreover, the thermal characterization of prepared sample was studied under non-isothermal conditions. The procedure was applied to the experimental data obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), using a heating rate of 15K/min. In addition, from the heating rate of the prepared samples, the glass transition, Tg, melting point, Tm, and decomposed temperature were estimated. It was found that the glass temperature increased from 147 to 1690C with increasing CrNO3 ions from 0.5 to 3 mass %