PEO:KIO₃ polymer electrolyte system-its application to solid state electrochemical cell

In search of polymer electrolyte based on PEO - salt complexes other than the extensively studied lithium-based polymer electrolytes, we report the new polymer electrolyte based on PEO complexed with KIO₃ salt. Several experimental techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), composition dependence conductivity, temperature dependence conductivity and transport number measurements have been performed to characterize the polymer electrolyte. DSC study reveals that the melting temperature of pure PEO is shifting towards lower temperatures by complexing with the KIO₃ salt. The conductivity-temperature plots show two regions below and above the melting point (T_m). Transport numbers data suggest that the charge transport in this polymer electrolyte system is mainly due to ions. Using the polymer electrolyte films solid-state electrochemical cells have been fabricated and the discharge characteristics studied. The open circuit voltage (OCV) and short circuit current (SCC) are found to be 2.69 V and 346 μA respectively.