ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

PVP-assisted interfacial engineering of PVC/B₄C nanocomposites: dielectric relaxation and charge transport

Buthaina S. Aziz, Nadhim A. Abdullah, Abdullah A. Hussein, and Forat Yasir AlJaberi

Basra Engineering Technical College, Southern Technical University, Basra, Iraq

E-mail: botheana.aziz@stu.edu.iq

Received: 16 January 2026  Accepted: 25 February 2026

Abstract:

This paper examines the dielectric properties (dielectric constant, dielectric loss, and AC conductivity) of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) nanocomposites reinforced with boron carbide (B₄C) nanoparticles manufactured by the use of the solution-casting method and filler loads 0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 wt%. SEM of pure PVC, pristine B₄C and the composites established that filler had been incorporated successfully and morphology of dispersion depending on loading was as expected based on electrical response. The introduction of B₄C to the samples increased ε′ from 7.6 (pure PVC) to 22.4 at 30 wt% (at 1 kHz) due to the facilitation of interfacial polarization and semi-conductive pathways within the polymer structure. The loss tangent also decreased with frequency as a measure of lower interfacial polarization at the higher frequencies. AC conductivity showed a significant enhancement with B₄C loading because of the formation of interconnected charge transport channels. The results mentioned above demonstrate the high potential of PVC/B₄C nanocomposites in applications in high technology electronics, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and high frequency insulation systems with better dielectric and AC conduction characteristics.

Graphical abstract

Keywords: PVC/B4C nanocomposites; Dielectric permittivity; Dielectric loss (tan δ); AC conductivity; Impedance spectroscopy; Polymer nanocomposite films

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-026-04769-7

Chemical Papers 80 (6) 6339–6351 (2026)