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We report on the synthesis and characterization of composite semiconducting polymer – nanoparticle membranes for X-ray detection applications. The membranes are made of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) organic polymer that is doped with ionic liquid (IL) to control its electrical conductivity. Tl 2 O 3 nanoparticles with different weight concentrations are added to the polymer, and membranes are produced using solution casting method. The nanoparticles are synthesized using a microwave assisted technique under controlled temperature and pressure, and their average size is 13.0 ∓ 1.9 nm. Structural and compositional tests confirm the fabrication of homogeneous polymer-nanoparticle films. Electrical impedance tests are conducted as a function of nanoparticle concentration and temperature for the membranes, and they reveal that the dc electrical resistance of the membranes decreases with increasing both nanoparticle concentration and temperature. The activation energy was found to increase with increasing nanoparticle concentration. The membranes are utilized as conductometric X-ray sensors, and their response increases with increasing X-ray generator voltage. The fabricated composite membranes exhibit semiconducting properties, easy to fabricate, low cost, and qualify practical device utilization in the X-ray dosimetry sector. • Composite membranes of polymer-nanoparticles were are synthesized • The membranes comprise of PVA, glycerol, and Tl 2 O 3 nanoparticles. • The nanoparticles were synthesized using a sol-gel modified method • Electrical characterization demonstrated that as nanoparticle concentration increases, the activation energy increase. • The membranes are suitable for potential applications in x-ray dosimetry field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabrication and characterization of flexible semiconducting polymer-nanoparticles composite membranes for x-ray sensor device applications are presented in this work. Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymer was initially doped with glycerol ionic liquid (IL) that permitted the control of its electrical resistivity. Metal-oxide Bi 2 O 3 nanoparticles were prepared by a modified sol-gel method. The average nanoparticle size was found to be 39 ± 10 nm. Thin films of flexible polymer membranes with different nanoparticle concentrations were prepared using a solution casting method. Compositional characterizations revealed the formation of homogeneous polymer-nanoparticle membranes. Electrical impedance measurements of the membranes were performed for the membranes in a form of capacitor structure as a function of temperature and nanoparticle concentration. The measurements demonstrated that the membranes could be modeled with a pair of parallel resistor and capacitor that were assigned to the contributions of grain boundaries as well as the region of electron depletion in the membrane. As nanoparticle concentration increases, the resistivity and activation energy decrease. Current-voltage measurements demonstrated that the produced membranes function as x-ray sensors, and their response increases as a function of nanoparticle concentration. The produced membranes exhibit semiconducting properties that qualify them as potential candidates for device applications in the field of x-ray dosimeter. • Semiconducting polymer-nanoparticles composite membranes were presented. • The membranes consist of PVA, glycerol ionic liquid, and Bi 2 O 3 nanoparticles. • The nanoparticles were prepared by a modified sol-gel method. • As nanoparticle concentration increases, the resistivity and activation energy decrease. • The membranes are qualified as potential candidates for x-ray dosimeter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Composite flexible polymer membranes of PVA and CuO nanoparticles were synthesized. • The membranes were fabricated at different nanoparticles' concentrations. • The activation energy of the membranes decreased with nanoparticle concentration. • X-ray response of the membrane increased with increasing nanoparticle concentration. • The membranes are potential candidates for the applications of x-ray detection. Flexible membranes of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymer and CuO nanoparticles for x-ray detection applications are reported in this work. PVA represents a polymer matrix for nanoparticles, and its flexibility and electrical conductivity are enhanced by addition of glycerol (GL) plasticizer. Nanoparticles of an average size of 6.3 ∓ 2.4 n m are produced by a solvothermal method and added to the PVA + GL solution with different concentrations. The flexible membranes are fabricated by solution casting on glass substrates. The effect of blending of PVA + GL with nanoparticles on different characteristics of the membranes including the flexibility as well as the melting, glass transition, and degradation temperatures are tested by differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric analysis, as well as both Raman and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Electrical impedance tests reveal that both dc resistance and activation energy decrease with increasing temperature as well as nanoparticle concentration. The produced membranes reveal electrical response to x-ray due to the presence of CuO nanoparticles, and this response rises with x-ray generator voltage. The results presented in this study specify that the produced membranes are easy to produce with low cost, thus, they represent potential candidates for practical applications including x-ray detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]