Effect of rare earth doped perovskite on the structural, linear/nonlinear optical properties of the fabricated PVA/CMC polymeric blends for optical limiting applications

Poly (vinyl alcohol) and carboxy methyl cellulose, PVA/CMC doped with (1, 5,8) Wt% of Lanthanum Dysprosium aluminate (LaDyAlO3) nanoparticles were prepared via traditional solution casting method. The influence of the concentration of LaDyAlO3 nanoparticles on optical and spectroscopic properties was investigated. The molecular and the crystalline structure of PVA/CMC/LaDyAlO3 polymer nanocomposites were obtained through the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The optical characteristics were investigated via UV–Visible spectrophotometer. For all samples, the absorption coefficient was determined. The direct and indirect allowed transitions have a multi graded bandgap structure. The thermal stability was investigated and the activation energy was determined which is found to be dependent on the concentration of LaDyAlO3 nanoparticles. Furthermore, the PVA/CMC/LaDyAlO3 (5 wt%) demonstrated excellent optical limiting threshold properties at low transmission value which is a favorable result for optoelectronic devices like optical limiters, long-lasting optical filters and photonic devices like organic/Polymer LEDs, Optical switches and perovskite solar cells. Also the Reverse saturable absorption is transformed to Saturable absorption for PVA/CMC/LaDyAlO3 (8 wt%) which makes it applicable for saturable absorbers and optical switches and many others etc. •PVA/CMC/LaDyAlO3 polymer composite films of different weight percent of LaDyAlO3 nanofillers (1, 5, 8 wt%) are synthesized via solution casting technique.•The molecular and the structural analysis is investigated through FTIR and XRD analysis.•The direct and indirect band gaps, extinction coefficient, inverse relation of band gap to concentration is found through UV–Visible spectroscopy.•The Z scan studies is performed in order to analysis the nonlinear characteristics.•It is found that samples transform from Reverse Saturable absorption to saturable absorption on inclusion of nanofiller which could be used for optical switching and data storage applications etc.