AC Impedance Analysis Research Articles

Impact of Binder Content and Type on the Electrochemical Performance of Silicon Anode Materials.

Binders are crucial for stabilizing the cycling performance of silicon (Si) materials by preventing Si particle pulverization during lithiation and delithiation. Poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) are the two most studied binders for Si electrodes, with PAA being an elastic polymer and CMC a rigid polymer. Starting with the elastic PAA, in this work the impact of binder content on the cycling performance of Si electrodes is studied. It is found that regardless of Si particle size, there is an optimal binder content between 20 % and 25 % for the cycling stability of Si electrodes. On the other hand, the rigid CMC binder results in lower capacity and faster capacity fading for Si electrodes compared with the elastic PAA. AC-impedance analysis reveals that the lower capacity is due to higher grain boundary resistance (Rgb) in CMC-coated electrodes, leading to high charge-transfer resistance (Rct) and increased polarization. This high polarization triggers premature termination during the discharging process (i. e., the lithiation) of Li/Si cells, underutilizing the Si active material. Additionally, the rapid capacity fading of CMC-coated electrodes is attributed to the rigid binder's inferior ability to prevent Si particle pulverization.

Effect of oxygen content in CuO x nanofilms on chloride ion detection for ion sensor applications

Sensors for detecting chloride ions have been required for routine monitoring of industry and human health. This study proposes a concept of an ion sensor based on CuO x nanofilms with different oxygen contents. The CuO x -based sensors exhibited an increase in DC current for those with low oxygen content and a decrease for those with high oxygen content following exposure to a chloride ion solution. AC impedance analysis suggested differential reactions of chloride ions in the bulk and surface regions of CuO x , dependent on the oxygen content. For the CuO x -based sensors with a ratio of 0.78 oxygen to copper atoms at chloride ion concentrations of 10−1000 ppm, the sensitivity in the bulk region calculated from AC impedance was 61−2926, which was higher than the sensitivity of 1.3−2.6 calculated from DC impedance. Finally, CuO x -based sensors demonstrated identifiability for chloride ions compared to sodium and calcium ions.

AC Impedance Analysis of Blend Polymer Electrolyte of PVP – PPA with Magnesium Salts as an Ionic Dopant for Potential Battery Applications

Abstract Solid polymer electrolyte films containing blend polymer electrolyte of Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and Poly p - amino benzoic acid (PPA) with varying ratios of magnesium salts were synthesized by solution casting method. Their conduction and relaxation mechanisms were studied by impedance spectroscopy (AC) at room temperature. The dependence of electrical data on frequency was analyzed by Cole – Cole plot and Jonscher’s power law. The semicircle seen in the plot represents the double relaxation process and shows how bulk electrolyte and the interfacial effect contribute to non-Debye and electrical conduction. The ac and dc conductivity values were calculated and the conductivity variation for the blend polymer PVP – PPA doped with different concentrations of magnesium salts was explained by the ionic contribution of the electrolytes. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss were measured by the dielectric investigations. The relaxation phenomenon of these electrolytes is provided by the dissipation factor analysis and electric modulus value. The conductivity of the system determines the suitability of the thin film concentration for potential battery applications as a polymer electrolyte.

Citrullus colocynthis fruit extract as effective eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor in a hydrochloric acid pickling medium for carbon steel by using both experimental and theoretical studies.

The present study focuses on an environmental approach based on the use of an eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor from the Citrullus colocynthis fruit extract for enhancement corrosion resistance of carbon steel (C-S) in acid medium as an alternative to various organic and non-organic chemical inhibitors. The evaluation of the inhibition properties of the fruit methanolic extract of Citrullus colocynthis (CCE) were performed in molar hydrochloric acid (1M HCl) medium using gravimetric and electrochemical (potentiodynamic polarization and AC impedance) techniques as well as surface analyses. CCE is rich in amino acids, mainly citrulline and β-(pyrazo-1-yl)-L-analine molecules. Based on the weight loss evaluation, the results demonstrated that this plant extract acts as an effective corrosion inhibitor and a protection level of 93.6% was attained at 500ppm of CCE after 6h of metal exposure at 303K. According to polarization curves, CCE functions as a mixed-type inhibitor. In addition, AC impedance analyses have shown that the incorporation of CCE into the corrosive solution leads to a decrease in load capacity, while improving the charge/discharge function at the interface. This suggests the possibility of the formation of an adsorbed layer on the C-S surface. In addition, scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation, contact angle measurements, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses supported the development of a protective film over CS substrate surface afterwards addition of CCE. Langmuir and/or Temkin isotherms can be used to characterize the adsorption of this organic inhibitor on the C-S surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has revealed that the inhibiting effect of CCE on the corrosion of C-S in 1M HCl solution is mainly controlled by a chemisorption process and the inhibitive layer is composed of an iron oxide/hydroxide mixture where CCE molecules are incorporated. In order to understand the relationship between the molecular structure and anti-corrosion effectiveness of these inhibitor molecules, quantum chemical studies were carried out using density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation.

A 3D magnesium phosphite-oxalate exhibiting high proton conductivity at low humidity

Using N,N’-dimethylpiperazine (Me2ppz) as template, a new three-dimensional (3D) open-framework magnesium phosphite-oxalate [Mg(H2PO3)2(C2O4)0.5](C6N2H16)0.5 (compound 1) was synthesized by solvothermal method. Single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis proves that compound 1 is constructed with left- and right-handed helical chains. View along the [010] direction, 12-ring channels are present and the protonated Me2ppz cations are located in the pores. AC impedance analysis shows that the proton conductivity of compound 1 can reach up to 5.03 × 10−3 S/cm at 44 % RH and 75 °C. It is noted that compound 1 is the first magnesium phosphite-oxalate with proton conductivity.

Preparation and Characterization of SPEEK–PVA Blend Membrane Additives with Colloidal Silica for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell

An inexpensive membrane with high proton conductivity and high fuel cell performance, which can be an alternative to Nafion for PEMFC (Proton exchange membrane fuel cell), will overcome the obstacle to widespread commercialization of fuel cells due to high cost. For this purpose, SPEEK (sulfonated polyether ether ketone)-PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) blend membranes with colloidal silica additives were synthesized in this study. Ludox AS-40 was used as the colloidal silica source and the blend membrane was prepared by solution casting method. Water uptake capacity, swelling property, size change, dynamic mechanical analysis, ion exchange capacity, AC impedance analysis, hydrolytic and oxidative stability experiments of the synthesized Ludox additives blend membranes for fuel cell application were carried out, and the membranes were also characterized by FTIR (Fourier transform infrared) analysis. While the water uptake capacities of SPEEK/PVA membranes containing 1% Ludox, 5% Ludox, and 10% Ludox at room temperature were found to be 14.08%, 14.84%, and 16.6%, respectively, the water uptake capacities at 80oC increased to 14.73%, 15.17%, and 17.11%. The proton conductivities of 1% Ludox, 5% Ludox and 10% Ludox doped SPEEK/PVA membranes at 80oC were 0.25 S/cm, 0.56 S/cm, and 0.65 S/cm, respectively. Similarly, ion exchange capacities were determined to be 1.41 meq/g, 1.63 meq/g, and 1.71 meq/g, respectively. All Ludox-added membranes exhibited excellent hydrolytic stability, retaining approximately 88% of their mass after 650 h. In addition, in oxidative stability experiments carried out in 4 ppm Fe+ 2 at 80oC, the 10% Ludox-added membrane exhibited the highest weight loss of 88.8% at the end of 24 h, while the 5% Ludox-additive membrane retained 91.6% of its total weight. Considering the proton conductivity and longevity tests of the synthesized membranes, they are thought to be promising structures.Graphical

Silver nanoparticles reinforced on silk fibroin/carboxymethylcellulose composite films for electrical applications

This study proposes the fabrication of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on silk fibroin-carboxymethylcellulose (SF-CMC) composite films for advancement in electronic device applications. Bombyx mori silk fibroin is a biopolymer that is used as a bio-template in the fabrication of AgNPs. Various silver nitrate (AgNO3) combinations are added to the prepared SF solution to synthesize AgNPs. To develop stand-alone biopolymer-nanocomposite (SF-CMC/AgNPs) films, SF-AgNPs colloidal solution is blended with CMC solution. Ultra Violet – Visible (UV–Vis), Photoluminescence (PL), Fourier Transform Infra-red Spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) have been employed to the prepared SF-CMC/AgNPs composites toevaluate the physical, chemical, structural, morphological, and topographical information of the composite films. Furthermore, the composites are subjected to LCR Hi-tester and electrochemical workstation CH instrument to analyze the AC, DC conductivity, dielectric characteristics, and electrochemical impedance analysis of SF-CMC/AgNPs composites. The UV–visible spectra reveals the formed nanoparticles in spherical shape with average particle size 35–40 nm. XRD reveals the formed AgNPs in face centred cubic (FCC) structure; TEM reveals the average particle size of 35 nm. AC conductivity of the SF-CMC/AgNPs composite found to be 4.0 × 10−4 to 8.04 × 10−4 S/cm. In spite of the presence of AgNPs, measurements of the dielectric behaviourof pure CMC and SF-CMC materials exhibit good dielectric performance. The obtained results demonstrated that the SF-CMCfilms exhibit significant conductivity following AgNPs incorporation and may therefore be used in biosensor and wearable electronic device applications.

Single composite electrolyte prepared by infiltration and characterization

Oxygen-ion and proton-conducting electrolytes should be combined into a composite to improve fuel cell capacity and electrocatalytic efficiency. To realize a single membrane of a composite electrolyte with dual charge carriers, we use only a single process. A BaZr0.8Ni0.01Y0.19O3 (BZNY) proton-conducting electrolyte solution and suspension are infiltrated into a porous oxygen-ion-conducting electrolyte (La0.75Sr0.2Ba0.05)0.175Ce0.825O1.891 (LSBC) substrate using a simple pumping process. The infiltration of BZNY into the porous LSBC results in a gradient composition of BZNY. The obtained single-composite electrolyte, BZNY-LSBC, possesses individual perovskite and fluorite crystal structures after sintering. The BZNY solution infiltrates the porous LSBC substrate to a smaller depth than the phase-preformed nano-BZNY slurry. The effective infiltration depth is approximately 50 μm for the BZNY solution, and 300 μm for the nano-BZNY into a 400 μm thickness of LSBC. The infiltrated composite electrolyte exhibites lower conductivity compared to the solid-state-prepared single-phase LSBC electrolyte at 600 °C, but almost the same conductivity at 800 °C from the AC impedance analyses. When the Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5O6 (SFM) are applied as symmetric electrodes, the SFM|BZNY-LSBC|SFM fuel cells maintain the higher open circuit voltage of 0.8 V than 0.5 V for SFM|LSBC|SFM fuel cells at 600 °C. The fuel cell with nano-BZNY infiltrated composite electrolyte achieves over double power density than cells with single LSBC and solution BZNY infiltration electrolytes at 600 °C that may be due to the proton conduction enhancement at lower temperature and further promotes the triple power density at 800 °C contributed from the oxygen ions conduction of LSBC and BZNY at high temperature. Those results provide evidence that dual ions pass through individual conduction paths in a two-phase composite electrolyte.

Novel Fluoroboric Acid Additive for Blend Membrane to be Used in PEM Fuel Cell, Characterization Studies, and Performance Test

This study focuses on developing an alternative membrane for PEMFC due to the disadvantages of using Nafion. Fluoroboric acid (FBA) was used as an additive material to SPEEK-PVA blend membranes at different weight ratios (1%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, and 12.5%), and a synthesis procedure was carried out with the solution-casting. Thermal crosslinking was performed with all membranes. Utilizing FBA, with its highly electronegative fluorine groups, is a novel approach expected to enhance proton conductivity. The structural, morphological, and thermal properties of the synthesized membranes were determined by FTIR, XRD, SEM, TGA-DTG, and DSC. Water uptake capacity (WUC), swelling property, area change, dynamic mechanical analysis, ion exchange capacity (IEC), AC impedance analysis, hydrolytic stability, and oxidative stability analyses were performed for fuel cell applications. Although FBA does not have a crystal structure, the synergy it created with the SPEEK-PVA membrane increased the crystallinity of the membrane and, accordingly, glass transition temperature. SEM images of membranes at a ratio above 7.5% show that agglomerations occur in the structure and this is supported by other analyses. It was determined that the membrane composition with the highest WUC (16.44%), IEC (1.55 meq/g), and proton conductivity (0.57 S/cm) values contained 7.5% FBA from the characterization studies, and a single-cell performance test was actualized with this. 418 mA/cm2 current density and 250.8 mW/cm2 power density were obtained at 0.6 V cell potential, with the membrane containing 7.5% FBA. This study shows that the synthesized membrane, especially the FBA, is a promising option for PEMFC application.Graphical

Synthesis and characterization of (1-x)Bi0.9Sm0.1FeO3 - (x)BaZr0.15Ti0.85O3 based solid solution: Temperature-dependent dielectric and impedance properties

Lead-free solid solution of (1-x) Bi0.9Sm0.1FeO3 − (x) BaZr0.15Ti0.85O3 (BSFO − BZT) (x = 0.0, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, 0.50) ceramics were prepared using solid-state reaction method. The structural, morphological, temperature-dependent dielectric properties and leakage current were investigated. The structural investigation revealed the formation of perovskite structure coexisting with tetragonal and rhombohedral phases within (BSFO–BZT) ceramics. The dielectric measurements (within 303 K-773 K) confirmed the existence of a morphotropic phase boundary at x = 0.15 for the (BSFO–BZT) system. The frequency and temperature dependent electrical behavior were explained using Ac conductivity and impedance analysis. The leakage current behavior for all these samples was investigated using both space charge-limited conduction (SCLC) for bulk and Schottky emission (SE) for limited interface conduction approach, whereas the pure BSFO sample was found to be dominated by ohmic conduction, while the BZT-doped samples were dominated by grain boundary-limited conduction.The sample (0.80)Bi0.9Sm0.1FeO3-(0.15)BaZr0.15Ti0.85O3 achieved largest dielectric constant 330 at 10 KHz along with a moderate leakage current density value of 3.54 × 10-5A/cm2 (which is quite lower than pure BSFO) proven its candidacy to develop a stable photovoltaic, multilayer actuators, and ferroelectric memory devices.

AC Conduction Mechanism and Impedance Analysis of Conventional and Plasma‐Sintered Yttria‐Stabilized ZrO2@Mullite Composite

AbstractThe addition of 8 mol% of Y2O3 to the ZrO2@mullite composites stabilizes the metastable tetragonal phase of ZrO2 in conventional and plasma‐sintered Y2O3‐stabilized ZrO2@mullite composites. A fused, highly dense, and interconnected microstructure is formed in the case of plasma‐sintered Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2@mullite composite. At 1 MHz frequency, the room temperature and tanδ of (10.37 and 2.06) is obtained for the conventional Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2@mullite composite and that of (38.8 and 4.02) is observed for the plasma sintered Y2O3 stabilized ZrO2@mullite composite. The substitution of Y3+ in place of Zr4+ creates sufficiently large oxygen vacancies at the grain boundary regions of these composites endowed mostly with the ZrO2 phase. In conventional Y2O3‐ ZrO2@mullite composites, both dielectric relaxation as well as conductivity relaxation are observed due to the dynamic motion of dipoles and relaxation due to the presence of defect states and porous structures. This leads to higher grain boundary conductivity than the grain conductivity of these composites. Thermally activated conduction mechanisms exhibited in these composite materials are projected from the complex impedance and modulus analysis. The conventional and plasma sintered Y2O3‐ ZrO2@mullite composite has an optical bandgap of 3.26 and 3.58 eV, respectively.

Development And Characterization of Magnesium Ion Conducting Biopolymer Electrolyte Using Agar and Magnesium Nitrate Hexa Hydrate

The aim of the study was to develop an agar-based biopolymer electrolyte with varying concentrations of Mg(NO3)2.6H2O in double-distilled water as the solvent. To better understand the impact each concentration had on the biopolymer, a range of characterisation techniques were employed - XRD, FTIR, DSC, Ac impedance analysis and transference number measurement being amongst them. XRD was used to determine whether a crystalline or amorphous polymer resulted from the process. Agar and magnesium nitrate may form complexes, according to FTIR. Through the process of differential scanning calorimetery, researchers have pinpointed the glass transition temperatures for a biopolymer electrolyte with superior conductivity. In order to study its performance, a Mg2+ ion primary battery was built using a biopolymer membrane with a highest ionic conducting of 1.74 x 10-4 S cm-1. This electrolyte was comprised of 40% agar and 60% magnesium nitrate in water, and its ionic transference number of Mg2+ had been determined at 0.30 via Evan's methodology.

Adoption of Dimethoxyethane and 1,3-Dioxolane in Electrolyte for Fast Charging of Li-Ion Battery

In this work, dimethoxyethane (DME) and 1,3-dioxolane (DOL) are studied as the co-solvent of an advanced electrolyte for fast charging of Li-ion batteries by using lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) as a salt and fluorinated ethylene carbonate (FEC) as an additive. It is shown that even when used with LiFSI and FEC, neither DME nor DOL constitute a suitable electrolyte for Li-ion batteries, either because of their inability to form a robust solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) with graphite (Gr) anodes or because of their oxidative instability against oxygen released from the delithiated LiNi0.80Co0.10Mn0.10O2 (NCM811) and LiNi0.80Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA), respectively. However, using 30% FEC as the co-solvent can make 1:1 DME/DOL mixture compatible with high-voltage Li-ion batteries and combining it with conventional ethylene carbonate (EC) and ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) significantly enhances the fast charging capability of Li-ion batteries. As a result, an advanced electrolyte composed of 1.2 m (molality) LiFSI 1:1:1:2 DME/DOL/EC/EMC + 10% FEC (all by wt.) offers much improved fast-charging performances in terms of capacity and capacity retention for a 200 mAh Gr/NCA pouch cell, compared with a 1.2 m LiFSI 3:7 EC/EMC baseline electrolyte. AC impedance analysis reveals that the significant improvement is attributed to a much reduced charge transfer resistance, while the advanced electrolyte has little effect on the bulk and SEI resistances.

Ion conduction property and electrochemical characteristics of Ag-ion gel polymer electrolyte

Ag-ion gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) based on Poly (vinyl Alcohol) and Silver tetrafluoroborate (AgBF4) was prepared using solution casting technique. The prepared GPE was characterised using XRD and FTIR techniques to determine its complex formation. The optical characteristic of the synthesised membrane was analysed through UV–Vis spectroscopy. The Ag-ion conductivity of the synthesised membrane was further analysed by AC impedance, and its dielectric property was studied using impedance data. Results of the AC impedance analysis show an ionic conductivity of up to 1.28 × 10-5Scm-1. The electrochemical characteristics of Ag-ion GPE were analysed, exhibiting an electrochemical working voltage of up to 1.1 V. On this basis, the oxidation–reduction reaction of the membrane was studied by fabricating a cell (Ag//Ag-ion GPE//Zn) using the synthesised membrane as electrolyte. This study confirms the electrochemical behaviour of the electrolyte. Galvanostatic charge–discharge studies were conducted, and the results indicate that the charging and discharging process in the cell occurred successfully.

An investigation on conductivity and dielectric behaviour of neem gum blended PVA biopolymer electrolytes

In this article, a neem gum-based polymer electrolyte is synthesised using the solution casting approach. XRD, FTIR, and AC impedance analysis are used to investigate the structural and electrical properties of bio-gel polymer electrolytes (BGPEs) that have been synthesized. According to XRD analysis, the film is more amorphous at 60 wt % PVA: 20 wt % NG: 20 wt % NaCF3SO3 (BP2). The observed amorphous nature is due to a greater number of Na+ and CF3SF3– ions coordinated with the polymer side chains’ COO– and OH– groups. The FTIR analysis revealed the disappearance of CH2 wagging of pure Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and shifting of stretching vibration mode of (C – N) aromatic functional group of protein of pure neem gum (NG) due to complexation of blended polymer (PVA: NG) with Na ions. The conductivity of the produced films is analysed using the conductance spectra, and the film BP2 (60 wt % PVA: 20 wt % NG: 20 wt % NaCF3SO3) is found to have the highest ionic conductivity (≈ 5.328 x 10-4 Scm-1) at 303 K. Flexibility, hopping mechanism are well enhanced in host polymer (PVA: NG) due to the addition of ionic salt NaCF3SO3, which is clearly observed in the dielectric spectra.

AC impedance analysis of NCM523 composite electrodes in all-solid-state three electrode cells and their degradation behavior

AC impedance analysis of NCM523 composite electrodes in all-solid-state three electrode cells and their degradation behavior

Synthesis, crystal structure, and characterization of Na2SrV4O12: A low‐firing dielectric vanadate

AbstractIn this work, cyclotetravanadate Na2SrV4O12 was synthesized at a relatively low sintering temperature of ∼500°C using a solid‐state reaction method. X‐ray diffraction and a transmission electron microscope characterization featured a tetragonal structure that was built by a 3D frame of isolated tetracyclic (V4O12)4−. Dielectric measurements demonstrated strong dependence on frequency and temperature. A low relative permittivity of εr ∼ 8 ± 0.2 and a dielectric (loss tanδ) ∼ 0.4 ± 0.01 was achieved at a frequency of 10 kHz and room temperature. ac impedance and conductivity analysis revealed a thermally activated migration behavior of charge carriers with a short‐range hopping feature. XPS analysis validated the existence of oxygen vacancy and reduction in vanadium (from V5+ to V4+), which gave rise to charged lattice defects. The migration or hopping of such charged defects was responsible for the observed electrical behaviors. Owing to the simple composition, inexpensive raw materials and low density (2.99 g/cm3) make Na2SrV4O12 ceramic a potential candidate for lightweight devices and in photocatalytic degradation and all‐solid‐state ion batteries.

Investigating the Performance of a Zinc Oxide Impregnated Polyvinyl Alcohol-Based Low-Cost Cation Exchange Membrane in Microbial Fuel Cells.

The current study investigated the development and application of lithium (Li)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO)-impregnated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) proton exchange membrane separator in a single chambered microbial fuel cell (MFC). Physiochemical analysis was performed via FT-IR, XRD, TEM, and AC impedance analysis to characterize thus synthesized Li-doped ZnO. PVA-ZnO-Li with 2.0% Li incorporation showed higher power generation in MFC. Using coulombic efficiency and current density, the impact of oxygen crossing on the membrane cathode assembly (MCA) area was evaluated. Different amounts of Li were incorporated into the membrane to optimize its electrochemical behavior and to increase proton conductivity while reducing biofouling. When acetate wastewater was treated in MFC using a PVA-ZnO-Li-based MCA, the maximum power density of 6.3 W/m3 was achieved. These observations strongly support our hypothesis that PVA-ZnO-Li can be an efficient and affordable separator for MFC.

Low temperature ammonia synthesis by surface protonics over metal supported catalysts.

Low-temperature ammonia synthesis by applying an electric field to a solid heterogeneous catalyst was investigated to realize an on-demand, on-site catalytic process for converting distributed renewable energy into ammonia. By applying an electric field to the catalyst, even at low temperatures, the reaction proceeds efficiently by an "associative mechanism" in which proton-conducting species on the support surface promote the formation of N2Had intermediates through surface protonics. Kinetics, isotope exchange, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, and AC impedance analysis were performed to clarify the effect of metal and catalyst support structure on the reaction, and an evaluation method for the surface protonics of the support was established to analyze the reaction mechanism, and further analysis using computational chemistry was also conducted. The elementary step determining catalytic activity changed from N2 dissociation to N2H formation, and this difference resulted in high activity for ammonia synthesis at low temperatures even when using base metal catalysts such as Fe and Ni.

Synthesis and Studies on Polymer Electrolyte Membrane using Polyvinyl Alcohol, Polyvinylidene Fluoride and Ammonium Bromide as Dopants for Proton-conducting Electrolyte

Different compositions of Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and Ammonium bromide (NH4Br) were employed to synthesize the proton-conducting polymer electrolyte membranes by Solution casting method, which have potential applications in proton (H+) ion batteries and fuel cells. Structural, vibrational and electrical properties of the synthesized polymer electrolyte membrane were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Electrical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) analysis and results were reported. The semi-crystalline nature of the prepared polymer was confirmed by XRD analysis. FTIR spectroscopy revealed the vibrational spectra of the prepared polymer membrane. The Nyquist plot drawn from the AC Impedance analysis was a straight line, confirming the dielectric nature of the prepared membrane.