Influence of arecanut organic residue on the dielectric behavior of chitosan-PVA polymer blends: A synergistic approach
摘要
Arecanut organic residue (AR) incorporated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-chitosan (CH) films were successfully synthesized using the solvent casting method, aiming to enhance structural rigidity and dielectric performance. The novelty of this work lies in utilizing AR, a sustainable agricultural byproduct, as a natural functional additive to enhance the dielectric and thermal stability of PVA–chitosan blends. This eco-friendly approach introduces a biogenic interfacial modifier that improves polymer compatibility and performance without relying on synthetic fillers or chemical cross-linkers. FTIR spectra revealed the existence of cross-linking between PVA, chitosan and AR. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that AR-PVA-CH films exhibited enhanced thermal stability compared to pure PVA, chitosan and PVA-CH blend. The dielectric constant, dielectric loss, DC conductivity, polarization and permittivity of pure PVA, pure chitosan, PVA-CH and AR-PVA-CH films were analysed in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 100 kHz. The optimized formulation (AR-C4) exhibited a maximum dielectric constant of 224.31 at 1 kHz, significantly higher than that of the pristine PVA–CH blend. The improvement in thermal stability has also been emphasized by indicating the increase in the T₅₀ value from 279.66 °C for PVA–CH to 358.37 °C for AR-C4. Furthermore, the enhancement in AC conductivity from 1.23 × 10⁻10 S/m for the PVA–CH blend to 5.93 × 10–8 S/m for AR-C5 has been mentioned, demonstrating the synergistic influence of arecanut residue on charge transport and interfacial polarization. This research showcases that AR-induced structural changes in PVA-chitosan films lead to a notable improvement in their dielectric properties, making them promising candidates for advanced dielectric and thermal applications.