Characterization and Charge Transport Mechanism of Multifunctional Polyfuran/Tin(IV) Oxide Composite

This study reports the synthesis of polyfuran/tin(IV) oxide (PFU/SnO2) composite by the chemical polymerization method. Characterization studies indicated that the filling process mostly affected the C=C and C=O functional groups in the PFU rings and as well as increased the degree of crystallinity of PFU from 2.93 to 6.97%. Furthermore, tin oxide particles decreased the energy band gap of PFU from 3.12 to 2.86 eV, while increasing the intensity of fluorescence emission. The interaction between filler particles and polymer matrix increased the thermal stability of PFU by about 25 A degrees C. The filling process decreased the size of the agglomerated particles on the PFU surface from several microns to under 1 A mu m. Different phases originated from polymer matrix and filler particles were also observed in the surface analyses of the samples. Dielectric measurements showed that the filling process changed the charge transport mechanism of PFU as well as significantly decreased the hopping distance of the charge carriers leading to an increase in the electrical conductivity. Experimental results indicated that conducting PFU/SnO2 composite can be used in the various electronic and optoelectronic applications.