Effect of different plasticizers on the conductivity behaviour of polymer electrolytes containing NH4PF6

Polymer electrolytes obtained by the complexation of ammonium hexafluorophosphate (NH4PF6) with polyethylene oxide (PEO) show conductivity of the order of 10(-7) S/cm at 25 degrees C. The addition of propylene carbonate (PC), diethyl carbonate (DEC) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC) as plasticizer results in an increase in conductivity which depends upon the concentration of plasticizer, dielectric constant (E) of plasticizer and the concentration of salt in the polymer electrolytes. The conductivity increases by two order of magnitude and Maximum conductivity of 1.4 x 10(-5) S/cm has been obtained for electrolytes containing PC. The increase in conductivity has been explained to be due to the dissociation of ion aggregates and an increase in amorphous content with the addition of plasticizers.