Effect of silicon oxide filler on ionic conduction and structural properties of pan-based polymer electrolytes

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) samples were prepared from polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as the host polymer, ethylene carbonate (EC) as the plasticizer, lithium triflate (LiCF3SO3) as a dopant salt and various weight percentages of SiO2 as the inorganic filler using the solution casting technique. The concentrations of SiO2 filler were varied from 2wt% to 10wt %. The conductivity of the sample is measured using impedance spectroscopy. The sample containing 6 wt% of SiO2 exhibited the highest room temperature conductivity of 2.24 x 10-3 S cm-1. The temperature dependence conductivity for the prepared SPEs obeys Arrhenius equation in the temperature range of 303 K to 353 K. In order to verify the interaction between polymer (PAN), plasticizer (EC), salt (LiCF3SO3) and SiO2 filler, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) was carried out. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) results confirm the complexation has occurred in the SPEs and the complexes formed are amorphous