Lithium ion conducting solid polymer blend electrolyte based on bio-degradable polymers

Lithium ion conducting polymer blend electrolyte films based on poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) with different Mwt% of lithium nitrate (LiNO3) salt, using a solution cast technique, have been prepared. The polymer blend electrolyte has been characterized by XRD, FTIR, DSC and impedance analyses. The XRD study reveals the amorphous nature of the polymer electrolyte. The FTIR study confirms the complex formation between the polymer and salt. The shifts in Tg values of 70 PVA–30 PVP blend and 70 PVA–30 PVP with different Mwt% of LiNO3 electrolytes shown by DSC thermograms indicate an interaction between the polymer and the salt. The dependence of Tg and conductivity upon salt concentration has been discussed. The ion conductivity of the prepared polymer electrolyte has been found by a.c. impedance spectroscopic analysis. The PVA–PVP blend system with a composition of 70 wt% PVA: 30 wt% PVP exhibits the highest conductivity of 1·58 × 10 − 6 Scm − 1 at room temperature. Polymer samples of 70 wt% PVA–30 wt% PVP blend with different molecular weight percentage of lithium nitrate with DMSO as solvent have been prepared and studied. High conductivity of 6·828 × 10 − 4 Scm − 1 has been observed for the composition of 70 PVA:30 PVP:25 Mwt% of LiNO3 with low activation energy 0·2673 eV. The conductivity is found to increase with increase in temperature. The temperature dependent conductivity of the polymer electrolyte follows the Arrhenius relationship which shows hopping of ions in the polymer matrix. The relaxation parameters (ω) and (τ) of the complexes have been calculated by using loss tangent spectra. The mechanical properties of polymer blend electrolyte such as tensile strength, elongation and degree of swelling have been measured and the results are presented.