Electrical, structural, and electrochemical studies on novel nanocomposite polymer electrolyte PEO30NaC12H25SO4–x wt.% Fe2O3

Abstract

Ion-conducting thin nanocomposite polymer electrolyte films were prepared by solution casting technique using poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) and sodium lauryl sulfate (NaC₁₂H₂₅SO₄) salt complexation in the ratio 30:1. Fine nanoparticles of iron(III) oxide (Fe₂O₃) were incorporated into the polymer matrix at various weight percentages. The XRD pattern exhibited the amorphous nature of the novel nanocomposite polymer electrolyte thin films, and FTIR studies showed the complexation and the incorporation of the nanoparticles in the polymer matrix. The maximum ionic conductivity of 3.76 × 10⁻⁶ Scm⁻¹ was obtained for the sample with 5 wt.% of Fe₂O₃. Thermal and morphological studies showed a reduction in the degree of crystallinity of the polymer material. The electrochemical cell was fabricated at room temperature (304 K) using the chosen best conducting thin nanocomposite polymer film with an open circuit voltage (OCV) of 1.255 V and a short circuit current (SCC) of 648 µA.