Studies on MWCNT-Incorporated Composite Polymer Electrolytes for Electrochemical Applications

Novel multiwalled carbon nano tubes (MWCNTs) incorporated electrolyte membrane based on a blend of poly(vinyl acetate), poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene), were prepared by solution casting technique using lithium perchlorate as a metallic salt. The prepared membranes were subjected to X-ray diffraction analysis, impedance spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopic studies. The incorporation of MWCNTs greatly enhanced the ionic conductivity and is in the order of 10–3Scm–1. The temperature-dependent ionic conductivity of the electrolyte membrane seems to obey Voggel-Tamman-Fulcher relation. The rms roughness of the nano composite polymer electrolyte over the scanned area is of the order of 38 nm and the surface images of the electrolytes have been depicted using a scanning electron microscope. The change in viscosity of the polymer complexes was also identified using photoluminescence emission spectra.