Chitosan hydrogel-based electrolyte for clean and biodegradable batteries: energetic and conductometric studies

Measurements of voltages generated in clean and biodegradable batteries using lithium-chitosan as electrolyte, carbon and nickel as electrodes, were reported. They produced small amounts of energy providing environment was preserved. The energy smallness was argued by conductivity measurements. The concentration and temperature dependences were undertaken. These measurements were carried out from 0.0005 to 1.0moldm(-3) in the temperature range 258-323K, and were compared to glycerol, being clean viscous solvent. The purpose was to substitute toxic solvents currently used, by clean and biodegradable solvents having good performances. The results were analysed with Debye-Huckel-Onsager law at low concentrations and Quasi-Lattice Model at moderate and higher concentrations. The temperature dependence of conductivity was also described using Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher equation. By comparing it to Arrhenius theory, very interesting parameters, such as electrical conductivity infinite dilution, activation energy and Vogel temperature, corresponding to glass transition temperature were extracted from the fit of experimental data.