Conductivity modification of polymer gel electrolytes: addition of MG49 and SiO2

Forty-nine per cent methyl grafted natural rubber (MG49) based polymer gel electrolytes containing ammonium trifluoromethanesulphonate (NH4CF3SO3) show higher conductivity than liquid electrolytes. This behaviour is explained by the 'breathing polymeric chain' model. The polymer gel electrolyte is dispersed with silicon dioxide (SiO2) to improve its physical properties and retain its conductivity in the order of 10(-3) S cm(-1) at room temperature (27 degrees C). The two maxima peaks are observed in the SiO2 concentration dependence conductivity and hence are best explained by percolation theory. A proton cell is fabricated using the highest conductivity of the composite polymer gel electrolyte, and the cell shows a specific energy of 11.04 W h kg(-1) and a specific power of 0.75 W kg(-1).