Ionic interactions and transport properties in chitosan-starch based blend solid biopolymer electrolytes

Abstract

Abstract Ionic conduction, dielectric and transport properties in chitosan-potato starch based blend solid biopolymer electrolytes at room temperature have been reported. Biodegradable solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) constituting the different blend ratios of chitosan (CS) and potato starch (PS) plasticized with glycerol and lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) (22.09 and 27.43 wt%) as an ionic salt are synthesized by solution blending and evaporation casting technique. Conductivity of the SPE obtained from impedance spectroscopy is consistent with the ion transport parameter (number density) calculated from FTIR spectroscopy. The PS-rich SPE (CS:PS::20:80) containing 27.43 wt% LiClO4 and 15.43 wt% glycerol has the maximum ionic conductivity of 6.5 x 10-4 S/cm with the highest number of free mobile charge carrier ions (7.29 x 1020 /cm3). The interaction of the amine and amide groups of the host biopolymer chitosan with LiClO4 has been explored.