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Materials Today: Proceedings 10 (2019) 3–7 www.materialstoday.com/proceedings

INTENSE_2017

Improved Dielectric Properties of Graphene Reinforced

Polyvinylpyrrolidone Nanocomposites
Shubha Aa, S. R. Manoharaa,*, and S. S. Subhranshu b
a
Nano-Composites and Materials Research Lab, Department of Physics,
Siddaganga Institute of Technology, Tumakuru – 572 103, Karnataka, India
b
International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI), NCR-Gurugram, Haryana - 122 003

Abstract

Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-graphene nanocomposites were prepared by a simple solution blending method at various graphene
weight percentages. These nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the
graphene nanoplatelets were dispersed homogeneously in a PVP matrix. The dielectric parameters (real and imaginary part of
relative permittivity, and tangent loss) and AC electrical conductivity were experimentally determined in the frequency of 10 Hz
to 8 MHz using LCR meter at room temperature. The dielectric parameters decreased with the increasing frequency and become
constant at higher frequency. AC electrical conductivity was found to increase with increasing frequency. The properties of
nanocomposites were improved significantly at low graphene loadings. The nanocomposite with 5 wt% graphene loading shows
enhanced dielectric properties.
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and/or Peer-review under responsibility of International conference on NanoTechnology in Energy, Nano-bio interface & Sustainable
Environment (INTENSE).

Keywords: polyvinylpyrrolidone; graphene nanoplatelets; nanocomposite; dielectric properties; electrical conductivity

1. Introduction

In the modern science and technology, the graphene based polymer nanocomposites play a significant role, due to
their enhanced physiochemical properties [1]. Now-a-days graphene-polymer nanocomposites have got noticeable
attention due to their usage in numerous fields such as sensors, energy-related system, electromagnetic shielding, etc.

* Corresponding author. Tel: +91-816-228 2696 (O); Fax: +91-816-228 2994 (O).
E-mail address: sr.manohara@yahoo.com

2214-7853 © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selection and/or Peer-review under responsibility of International conference on NanoTechnology in Energy, Nano-bio interface & Sustainable
Environment (INTENSE).
4 Shubha A et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 10 (2019) 3–7

Due to its remarkable electrical, mechanical, optical and thermal properties, graphene finds applications in number
of fields such as electronics, photonics, and catalysis [2, 3]. The presence of graphene at very low concentrations can
enhance thermal, electrical and mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposite compared to pure polymer [4-10].
Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is water soluble and non-charged homo polymer.
In the present work, PVP-graphene nanocomposites were prepared by a simple solution blending method at
various graphene weight percentages such as 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 wt%. The effect of graphene loading on dielectric
and electrical properties of PVP has been studied. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used for morphological
investigations, whereas dielectric and electrical properties such as real and imaginary part of relative permittivity,
loss tangent, and AC electrical conductivity of PVP-graphene nanocomposites have been studied at room
temperature using an LCR meter in the frequency range 10 Hz -8 MHz.

2. Experimental

2.1. Materials

Graphene nanoplatelets were procured from J. K. Impex, Mumbai, India. Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) [average
molecular weight 58,000] and silver conductive paste were obtained from Sigma Aldrich Chemicals, USA. All other
chemicals were used as received.

2.2. Preparation of PVP-graphene nanocomposites

PVP-graphene nanocomposite films having various weight percentages were made by simple solution casting
method. PVP solution was prepared by dissolving 5 g of PVP in 90 ml of Milli-Q water at room temperature using
magnetic stirrer. Calculated quantity of graphene nanoplatelets were taken in a mortar. Slurry was prepared by
adding about 5 drops of PVP solution, and then it was transferred to PVP solution. The resulting solution was
sonicated using probe sonicator for about 30 minutes. The nanocomposite solution was poured to polypropylene
petridish and kept in vacuum oven for evaporating water content in the solution at 50 C for 5 days. PVP-graphene
nanocomposite film was peeled off from petridish, and heated at 70 °C for three hours to remove residual water. The
thickness of the film measured using digital vernier of resolution 0.01 mm was found to be about 0.50 mm. Using
this procedure, PVP-graphene nanocomposites having 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 wt% graphene were prepared. For
comparison pure PVP film was also prepared.

2.3. Scanning Electron Microscopy

The morphology of pure PVP and PVP-graphene nanocomposites was investigated using a Scanning Electron
Microscope (SEM) [TESCAN Vega-3 LMU, Czech Republic].

2.4. Measurement of dielectric and electrical properties

The frequency dependent dielectric parameters (real and imaginary part of relative permittivity, and tangent loss)
and AC conductivity of all samples were measured at room temperature using a fully automated high-precession
four-terminal LCR meter (HIOKI-IM3536, Japan) in the frequency range 10 Hz to 8 MHz. Through built-in
programs, the LCR meter directly displays values of the dissipation factor, tan, AC conductivity, AC, and absolute
permittivity, , of a material. The values of real part of relative permittivity, ε', and imaginary part of relative
permittivity, ε", can be calculated using equation (1) and (2), respectively.

  (1)
o
     tan  (2)
where 0 is the permittivity of free space.
 Shubha A et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 10 (2019) 3–7 5

3. Results and discussion

The morphology of PVP-graphene nanocomposites were analysed by images obtained using scanning electron
microscope. Fig. 1 shows the SEM image of 5 wt% PVP-graphene nanocomposite. The non-conductive PVP layers
appear dark whereas conductive layers of graphene nanoplatelets appear brighter. It is also seen that graphene
nanoplatelets are orderly distributed with less agglomeration.

The variation of real part of relative permittivity, ε', and imaginary part of relative permittivity, ε", as a function of
frequency are depicted in Fig. 2(a) and 2(b), respectively, for pure PVP and PVP-graphene nanocomposites at room
temperature. It can be observed that, ε' for all the nanocomposites decreases with increase of frequency and becomes
almost constant at higher frequencies. Also the variation of ε" with frequency is almost similar to ε'. The frequency
dependent behaviour of ε' and ε" can be explained based on Maxwell–Wagner interfacial polarization [11]. The
interfacial polarization occurs at the interface between the PVP and graphene. Therefore, when an electric field is
applied to the nanocomposite, then charge carriers begin to accumulate at the interface by forming large dipoles,
which depends on conductivity and permittivity of constituents PVP-graphene system. The electrode polarization is
also responsible for the high relative permittivity in the low frequency region. Fig. 3 depicts variation of dielectric
loss tangent, tan, as a function of frequency for pure PVP and PVP-graphene nanocomposites. From figure it is
seen that tan values decrease with increasing frequency.

Fig. 1. SEM image of PVP-5 wt% graphene nanocomposite with scale mark 10 µm.

18
(a) Pure PVP 10 (b) Pure PVP
15 PVP+0.5 wt% graphene PVP+ 0.5 wt% graphene
PVP+ 1 wt% graphene 8 PVP+ 1 wt% graphene
12 PVP+ 2 wt% graphene PVP+ 2 wt% graphene
'' (x 10 )

PVP+ 3 wt% graphene 6

' (x 10 )

PVP+ 3 wt% graphene

3
3

PVP+ 4 wt% graphene PVP+ 4 wt% graphene

9
PVP+ 5 wt% graphene 4 PVP+ 5 wt% graphene
6
2

3
0

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Frequency (Hz) Frequency (Hz)

Fig. 2. Frequency dependence of (a) real part of relative permittivity, ε', and (b) imaginary part of relative permittivity, ε", for pure PVP and PVP-
graphene nanocomposites.
6 Shubha A et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 10 (2019) 3–7

4.0
3.5 Pure PVP
PVP+0.5 wt% graphene
3.0
PVP+ 1 wt% graphene
2.5 PVP+ 2 wt% graphene
PVP+ 3 wt% graphene

tan
2.0
PVP+ 4 wt% graphene
1.5 PVP+ 5 wt% graphene
1.0
0.5
0.0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Frequency (Hz)

Fig. 3. The variation of dielectric loss tangent, tan , with frequency for pure PVP and PVP-graphene nanocomposites.

0
10
-1
10
-2
10
AC (S/m)

-3
10
Pure PVP
-4 PVP+0.5wt% Graphene
10 PVP+ 1wt% Graphene
-5 PVP+ 2wt% Graphene
10 PVP+ 3wt% Graphene
PVP+ 4wt% Graphene
-6
10 PVP+ 5wt% Graphene

1 2 3 4 5 6
10 10 10 10 10 10
Frequency (Hz)
Fig. 4. Variation of AC conductivity, σAC, with frequency for for pure PVP and PVP-graphene nanocomposites.

8
7
6
DC (x 10 S/m)

5
-8

4
3
2
1
0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Graphene wt %

Fig. 5. DC conductivity, σDC, of PVP-graphene nanocomposites with graphene loading.

PVP-graphene nanocomposites were expected to exhibit good electrical conductivity due to the extremely high
conductivity of graphene. Hence, the investigation on electrical conductivity of PVP-graphene nanocomposites were
undertaken. Fig. 4 shows the frequency dependence of AC conductivity, σAC, of PVP-graphene nanocomposites. At
lower graphene concentration, the conductivity of these composites exhibits weak dependence on frequency which
is related to insulating nature. As the graphene content increases, the conductivity gets enhanced. It was found that,
σAC is larger for PVP-graphene nanocomposites with 5 wt% graphene. PVP-graphene nanocomposites show higher
electrical conductivity than the pure PVP (Fig. 5), indicating graphene nanoplatelets efficiently improve the
conductivity of PVP. All these results suggest that, the high electrical conductivity of graphene nanoplatelets is
useful in the fabrication of conductive polymer composites for different applications.
 Shubha A et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings 10 (2019) 3–7 7

4. Conclusions

In the present study, PVP was loaded with graphene nanoplatelets at different weight percentages by simple
solution casting method. SEM images show the ordered alignment of graphene in the PVP matrix. The dielectric
property of PVP is affected by concentration of graphene nanoplatelets. The addition of graphene nanoplatelets
increases PVP-graphene interface area in the nanocomposites leading to interfacial polarization thereby increasing
the dielectric properties of nanocomposites. The studies show that PVP with 5 wt% graphene has enhanced
dielectric and electrical properties.

Acknowledgements

One of the authors, S. R. Manohara wish to thank the Vision Group on Science and Technology (VGST),
Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology and Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, for
providing financial support under Centers of Innovative Science, Engineering and Education (CISEE) programme
(Project no.: GRD-470).

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