The Effect of Mechanical Excitation on Ionic Conductivity and Related Properties of Polymer Electrolytes

Abstract

A recent work1 reported a theoretical basis for enhancement of ionic conductivity in polymer electrolytes under the influence of external mechanical excitation. This paper presents an experimental evidence for the conductivity enhancement. The conductivity of a Li/polymer/Li half cell was increased by a factor of three as the frequency of external mechanical excitation was varied from 0 to 10 kHz. The mechanism of conductivity enhancement has been explained on the basis of absorption of mechanical energy by polymer chains that in turn assist the transport of conducting ions. The enhanced conductivity may subsequently affect the performance of electrochemical devices. Discharge rates of some primary polymer batteries as a function of mechanical excitation were measured, and the results suggest that they are excitation dependent.