Dielectric, thermal, and electrochemical properties of PVC/PEMA blended polymer electrolytes complexed with zinc triflate salt

Abstract

A new solid polymer electrolyte system based on poly (vinyl chloride) (PVC) and poly (ethyl methacrylate) (PEMA) containing zinc triflate [Zn(CF3SO3)2] salt obtained in the form of thin film specimens using solution casting technique has been examined by means of complex impedance analysis, thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) studies, linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and cyclic voltammetric (CV) measurements. The relevant mechanism of zinc ion transport involved in the case of the present polymer blend electrolyte viz., [PVC (30 wt%)/PEMA (70 wt%)] : x wt% [Zn(CF3SO3)2] (where x = 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35, respectively) has been evaluated in terms of AC impedance method, dielectric and electrical modulus formalisms. The optimized composition of the chosen blended polymer electrolyte system having 30 wt% loading of zinc triflate salt exhibited a single glass transition temperature (T g) and possessed appreciable levels of thermal and electrochemical stability for possible utilization in zinc batteries.