Studies on proton conducting polymer electrolytes gelled with PVdF and PVdF-HFP

Non-aqueous proton conducting polymer gel electrolytes containing different weak carboxylic acids viz. ortho-, meta-, para-hydroxybenzoic acid (o-HBA, m-HBA, p-HBA) and succinic acid (SA) gelled with polyvinylideneflUoride (PVdF) and polyvinylidenefluoride-cohexafluoropropylene (PVdF-HFP) have been synthesized and characterized in the present study. The conductivity of these electrolytes has been found to be of the order of 10(-4) S/cm at room temperature and they show excellent stability over the operational temperature range. The conductivity of these electrolytes has been found to depend on dissociation constant of acid, nature of the solvent and the concentration of the polymer used. The addition of polymer to these electrolytes results in change in the electrical properties which has been explained to be due to the active role played by the polymer.