Effects of TiO2 and ZrO2 nanofillers in LiBOB based PVdF/PVC composite polymer electrolytes (CPE)

A novel type of lithium bis(oxalato) borate (LiBOB) synthesized by the solid-state reaction method has been presented. LiBOB composite polymer electrolytes (CPE) prepared with dispersions of TIO2/ZrO2 with various concentrations into the host blend matrices of poly(vinylidenefluoride) (PVdF)-poly(vinylchloride) (PVC) are investigated by scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction (XRD) and ac impedance measurements. The plasticizing agent selected for the present study is a mixture of ethylene carbonate (EC) and diethyl carbonate (DEC) for the phase separated morphology of the studied polymers. The impedance studies on CPE membranes identify that membranes, with 2.5 wt% of fillers, have enhanced conductivities of 5.43 x 10(-4) S cm(-1) and 4.38 x 10(-4) S cm(-1), respectively, for TiO2 and ZrO2 at ambient temperature. The XRD investigations confirm that the membranes with filler levels exceeding the limit of 2.5 wt% show a gradual increase in the degree of crystallinity, rendering them less conducting. The activation energy calculations also highlight variations in conductivities of all the membranes.