Study of ion transport and materials properties of K+-ion conducting solid polymer electrolyte (SPE): [(1-x) PEO: xCH3COOK]

Study of ion transport behavior in K+-ion conducting solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) films: [(1-x) PEO: xCH3COOK] has been reported. Poly (ethylene oxide) PEO has been used as polymeric host and potassium acetate: CH3COOK as complexing salt. SPE films in varying salt concentrations have been prepared by hot-press cast method. SPE film: [95PEO: 5CH3COOK] has been identified as Optimum Conducting Composition (OCC) with room temperature conductivity (σrt) ~ 2.74 × 10−7 S/cm. As a consequence of salt complexation in polymeric host, σrt-enhancement of approximately two orders of magnitude was achieved in SPE OCC film. Ion transport property has been characterized in terms of ionic conductivity (σ), total ionic (tion)/cation (t+) transference numbers using different ac/dc techniques. Temperature-dependent conductivity measurement was done to explain mechanism of ion transport and to evaluate activation energy (Ea). XRD, FTIR, and DSC techniques were used to study materials property in SPE OCC film which also confirmed the complexation of salt in the polymeric host as well as increase in degree of amorphousity.