Mechanical and sodium ion conductivity properties of graphene oxide–incorporated nanocomposite polymer electrolyte membranes

Graphene oxide (GO) nano-sheets incorporated PEO/PVA composite membranes complexed with NaIO4 salt at different concentrations were prepared using the solution casting technique. The nanocomposite PEO/PVA membranes demonsrated improved mechanical tensile strength and Young’s modulus in comparision to pure PEO/PVA blends. Impedance measurements were performed in the frequency range of 0.1 Hz–3 MHz and at temperature in the range of 30–70 °C. The pure blend electrolyte complexed with 20 wt.% of NaIO4 salt demonstrated Na+ ion conductivity of 1.03 × 10−7 S/cm at room temperature. Comparatively, PEO/PVA/NaIO4 (20 wt.%) blend electrolyte membranes demonstrated one order increment in room temperature ionic conductivity as a result of incorporation of 0.9 wt.% GO nano-sheets. The effect of introducing GO nano-sheets in the matrix of PEO/PVA blend electrolyte membranes was noticed by means of increment in charge carriers, diffusivity and mobility of the ions.