Synthesis and Properties of Cupric Sulphate Doped Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone (PVP) Solutions

The optical, electrical and acoustical properties of polymer solutions based on polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) doped with cupric sulphate (CuSO₄) were studied. The polymer solutions were prepared by varying the concentration of Cu in the PVP using a simple chemical route. The UV-visible spectroscopy results showed that the optical absorbance decreased with an increase in wavelength from 300 to 700 nm. The optical band gaps were found to decrease with addition of the Cu salt in the polymer. The refractive index also showed significant variation with the doping of the CuSO₄. The electrical conductivity of the polymer solutions was found to increase with temperature as well as concentration of Cu while the activation energy of electrical conduction decreased with concentration of Cu. The ultrasonic velocities of the polymer solutions were measured at a frequency of 1 MHz using an ultrasonic interferometer. The ultrasonic velocity and surface tension were increased while the adiabatic compressibility, acoustic impedance and intermolecular free length, the average distance between the surfaces of the coils of adjacent molecules, were decreased with increase in the concentration of CuSO₄ in the PVP.