Magnesium ion-conducting gel polymer electrolytes dispersed with nanosized magnesium oxide

• Published in: Journal of power sources Vol. 190; no. 2; pp. 563 - 572
• Main Authors: Pandey, G.P., Agrawal, R.C., Hashmi, S.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.05.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: AC impedance spectroscopy; Applied sciences; Cyclic voltammetry; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Electrochemical conversion: primary and secondary batteries, fuel cells; Exact sciences and technology; Gel polymer electrolyte; Magnesium batteries; Magnesium ion conductor; Nanocomposite; Cyclic voltammetry; Nanocomposite; Gel polymer electrolyte; Magnesium batteries; Magnesium ion conductor; AC impedance spectroscopy; Scanning electron microscopy; Fourier transformation; Electrical conductivity; Polymer electrolytes; Polymer gels; Nanoparticle; Magnesium oxide; Secondary cell; Experimental study; Thermal stability; Electrochemical characteristic; Conducting polymers; Infrared spectrometry; Vinylidene fluoride polymer; Magnesium ion; X ray diffractometry; Nanostructured materials; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.01.057

Experimental investigations are performed on novel magnesium ion-conducting gel polymer electrolyte nanocomposites based on poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP), dispersed with nanosized magnesium oxide (MgO) particles. The nanocomposite materials are in the form of free-standing films. Various physical and electrochemical analyses demonstrate promising characteristics of these films, suitable as electrolytes in rechargeable magnesium batteries. The optimized material with 3 wt.% MgO offers a maximum electrical conductivity of ∼8 × 10 −3 S cm −1 at room temperature (∼25 °C) with good thermal and electrochemical stabilities. The ion/filler–polymer interactions and possible conformational changes in host polymer PVdF-HFP due to the liquid electrolyte entrapment and dispersion of nanosized MgO are examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) methods. The Mg 2+ ion conduction in the gel film is confirmed from the cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy and transport number measurements. The Mg 2+ ion transport number ( t +) is enhanced substantially and found to have a maximum of ∼0.44 for the addition of 10 wt.% MgO nanoparticles. The enhancement in t + is explained on the basis of the formation of space-charge regions due to the presence of MgO:Mg 2+-like species, that supports Mg 2+ ion motion.