Impact of ethylene carbonate on ion transport characteristics of PVdF–AgCF3SO3 polymer electrolyte system

The ionic transport in thin film plasticized polymer electrolytes based on polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF) as the polymer host, silver triflate (AgCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}) as salt and ethylene carbonate (EC) as plasticizer prepared by solution casting technique has been reported. Addition of silver triflate has resulted in an increase in the room temperature (298 K) electrical conductivity of the polymer from 10{sup -6} to 10{sup -5} S cm{sup -1} whereas incorporation of EC as the plasticizer has further enhanced the conductivity value by an order of magnitude to 10{sup -4} S cm{sup -1} owing to the possible decrease in crystallinity of the polymer matrix as revealed by the detailed temperature-dependent complex impedance, silver ionic transference number, Fourier transform infrared and X-ray diffraction measurements.