title: Refractive index investigation of poly(vinyl alcohol) films with TiO2 nanoparticle inclusions.
abstract: The refractive index (RI) of polymer nanocomposite of poly(vinyl alcohol) films with TiO(2) nanoparticle inclusions with low concentration up to 1.2 wt. % was investigated. Accurate refractometric measurements, by a specially designed laser microrefractometer, were performed at wavelengths 532 and 632.8 nm. The influence of TiO(2) concentration on the RI dispersion curves was predicted based on the well-known Sellmeier model. The theoretical analysis, in a small filling factor approximation, was performed, and a relation between the effective RI of the nanocomposite and weight concentrations of the TiO(2) nanofiller was derived. The experimental values were approximated by two different functions (linear and a quadratic polynom). The polynomial approximation yields better result, where R(2)=0.90.
authors.affiliation: Plovdiv University Paisii Hilendarski, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. temiov@uni-plovdiv.bg
authors.forename: Temenuzhka
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yovcheva
authors.forename: Ivanka
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vlaeva
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bodurov
authors.forename: Violeta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dragostinova
authors.forename: Simeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sainov