Engineering PMMA/PVA Polymer Blends with TiO₂-GO Nanofillers for Enhanced Structural and Optical Properties

¹ Department of Physical Sciences, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali - 304022, Rajasthan, India
² Department of Chemistry, Banasthali Vidyapith, Banasthali - 304022, Rajasthan, India
³ Department of Mathematics, Physics and Statistics, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Guyana, P.O. Box 101110, Georgetown, Guyana

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 26 June 2026

Abstract

For the first time, we present an overview of the structural and optical features of the newly formulated “PMMA-PVA-TiO2-GO” polymer nanocomposites taking into account the polymer blend of PMMA and PVA matrix, while TiO₂ and GO are used as nanofillers in making the nanocomposite. The X-ray diffractometer (XRD) was employed to determine the structural characteristics of the samples, and a UV-Vis-NIR spectrometer was used to record the behaviour of optical absorbance. The nanocomposites were synthesized using a simple solution mixing method, ensuring uniform dispersion of nanofillers within the host polymer blend. XRD results confirms a reduction in crystallite size (from ~15 nm to ~11 nm), along with an increase in micro-strain and dislocation density, indicating increased lattice distortion and strong interfacial interactions. Mechanical parameters reveal significant improvements in Young’s modulus and energy density with reduced flexibility reflecting a trade-off between stiffness and flexibility. Finding of spectrophotometer confirms a red shift in the absorption edge from 244 nm to 250 nm with enhanced UV absorption, while the optical bandgap remains nearly unchanged. In view of above analysis, these nanocomposites are suitable for advanced optoelectronic and structural applications.