SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HOT-PRESSED SOLID POLYMER ELECTROLYTES: (1-x) PEO: x KBrO3

Abstract

Synthesis and ion transport characterizations on hot-pressed solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs): (1-x) PEO: x KBrO3, where x in wt. (%), are reported. The compositional (x) dependent conductivity (σ) studies revealed SPE film: (70PEO: 30KBrO3) as the Optimum Conducting Composition (OCC) with room temperature conductivity σ ~ 4.36× 10-7 Scm-1, which is more than two orders of magnitude higher than that of pure PEO. To understand the ion transport behavior in SPE films, the measurement on some basic ionic parameters viz. ionic conductivity (σ), ionic mobility (μ) and mobile ion concentration (n) have been carried out using different experimental techniques. Material characterizations were done with the help of XRD, SEM, DSC and TGA techniques. The activation energies (Ea) values have been computed from ‘log σ - 1/T’ Arrhenius plots. Thin film solidstate polymeric batteries were also fabricated using SPE OCC as electrolyte and the cell-potential discharge characteristics were studied under different load conditions.