B. Joseph Paul

FT-IR spectroscopic investigation of ionic interactions in PPG 4000: AgCF3SO3 polymer electrolyte.

The effect of salt concentration on the ubiquitous ionic interactions observed in the case of the silver ion conducting polymer electrolyte system poly(propylene glycol) (PPG)-silver triflate has been investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy as a probe for the characterization of the local environment of the triflate ion in PPG-based polymer electrolytes. The maximum free anion concentrations of symmetric and asymmetric SO(3) stretching modes in the case of poly(propylene glycol) complexed with silver triflate (AgCF(3)SO(3)) corresponding to the ether oxygen metal cation ratios from 2:1 to 6:1 have been investigated in detail. The present Fourier transform infrared spectral studies of the C-O-C stretching mode have shown reduction in the intensity, due to the decrease of salt concentration. The splitting of vibrational modes has been analyzed in terms of free ions, ion pairs and aggregates. The bands of SO(3) symmetric stretching mode appearing at 1032 and 1038 cm(-1) in the chosen polymer electrolyte material have been assigned to free ions and ion pairs respectively.

IMPACT OF ZrO2 NANOPARTICLES ON IONIC TRANSPORT AND ELECTROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF NANOCOMPOSITE GEL POLYMER ELECTROLYTE: PPG (4000)–AgCF3SO3:ZrO2

The phenomenon of enhancement of ionic transport and electrochemical behavior of a new poly (propylene glycol) (PPG 4000)–silver triflate (AgCF3SO3) as a result of incorporation of varying concentrations of ZrO2 nanoparticles have been investigated. The significant conformal changes and the strength of interactions along with chain enlargement of polymer matrix have been analyzed by means of FT-IR and DSC studies as well. From the ac impedance measurements, it is clear that the addition of filler particles favors an increase in the conductivity by more than two orders of magnitude and that the typical sample PPG4–AgCF3SO3:10 wt% ZrO2 exhibits a maximum conductivity of 2.9 × 10-3 Scm-1 along with the cationic transference number of 0.49 at room temperature.