Impact of ammonium formate (AF) and ethylene carbonate (EC) on the structural, electrical, transport and electrochemical properties of pectin-based biopolymer membranes

• Published in: Ionics Vol. 27; no. 8; pp. 3443 - 3459
• Main Authors: Muthukrishnan, M., Shanthi, C., Selvasekarapandian, S., Shanthi, G., Sampathkumar, L., Maheshwari, T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.08.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Ambient temperature; Biopolymers; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Electrochemical analysis; Electrochemistry; Energy Storage; Ethylene; Fourier transforms; Infrared analysis; Infrared spectroscopy; Ion currents; Ions; Membranes; Optical and Electronic Materials; Original Paper; Pectin; Polymers; Protons; Renewable and Green Energy; Spectrum analysis; Transport properties; Biopolymer membranes; Deconvolution; Plasticizer; Diffusion coefficient; Transference number
• ISSN: 0947-7047; 1862-0760
• DOI: 10.1007/s11581-021-04106-w

Ion conducting, biopolymer membranes (BPMs) based on pectin as host polymer, ammonium formate (AF) as proton donor salt and ethylene carbonate (EC) as plasticizer are prepared using a simple solution cast method. “Doping AF in host polymer increases the ionic conductivity up to (2.74 ± 0.15) × 10 −4 S cm −1 at the ambient temperature and incorporation of EC in to the polymer salt complex further enhances the conductivity to a maximum of (3.6 ± 0.21) × 10 −3 S cm −1 .” Improvement in ionic conductivity owing to increased amorphous content of BPMs was investigated via X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The interaction of AF and EC with the polymer host is analysed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The activation energy and regression values are calculated for prepared samples. The transport properties are determined using both the deconvoluted FTIR spectra and the transfer number measurement (TNM) technique, as well as the results are compared and correlated with the ionic conductivity of the BPMs. Using the highest conductive BPM, the primary proton battery was fabricated and the operation was explored and suggested as an alternative research direction for the lower current density applications with improved eco-friendly nature.