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Poly(ethylene oxide)/clay nanocomposites for solid polymer electrolyte applications
Author(s) -
Ratna Debdatta,
Divekar Swapnil,
Patchaiappan Sivaraman,
Samui Asit Baran,
Chakraborty Bikash Chandra
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
polymer international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-0126
pISSN - 0959-8103
DOI - 10.1002/pi.2222
Subject(s) - nanocomposite , materials science , crystallinity , montmorillonite , organoclay , electrolyte , ethylene oxide , chemical engineering , differential scanning calorimetry , oxide , intercalation (chemistry) , polymer , polymer chemistry , composite material , inorganic chemistry , chemistry , copolymer , electrode , physics , metallurgy , engineering , thermodynamics
Abstract Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/clay nanocomposites were prepared using a solution intercalation method. The organoclay (Nanocore I30E) used for nanocomposite synthesis was basically an octadecylammonium salt of montmorillonite clay prepared using an ion exchange method. Nanocomposite‐based solid polymer electrolytes were prepared using LiBF 4 . The nanocomposite structures were characterised using wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. The crystallisation behaviour and thermal properties were studied using differential scanning calorimetry. It was found that the crystallinity of the composite electrolytes decreases with increasing clay concentration up to 7.5 wt% and then increases with a further increase in clay concentration. The trend is different from that observed in PEO/clay nanocomposites without lithium salt where the crystallinity gradually decreases with increasing clay concentration. The solid polymer electrolyte samples were evaluated using an alternating current impedance analyser. A considerable increase in room temperature conductivity was observed at the optimum clay concentration. The conductivity decreases beyond the optimum clay concentration. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry