DSC, TGA and dielectric properties of carboxymethyl cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol blends

Films with different compositions of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) blends have been prepared using the casting method. Differential scanning calorimetery (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dielectric spectroscopy of all compositions have been investigated. It was found that PVA and CMC are compatible in the studied range of composition. With increasing CMC content, the thermal stability of PVA increases. Based on DSC and TGA data, the activation energies of all the investigated samples were calculated. The absorption edge (Ea) was also determined from Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectra. Dielectric permittivity, loss tangent and ac conductivity of all samples were studied as functions of temperature and frequency. The results show that the dielectric dispersion consists of both dipolar and interfacial polarization. The frequency dependence of the ac conductivity indicates that the correlated barrier hopping (CBH) is the most suitable mechanism for conduction. The polaron binding energy (UM) was determined. Results of the present system are compared with those of similar materials.