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Complex impedance and conductivity of agar-based ion-conducting polymer electrolytes

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Abstract

Agar-based electrolyte standing films with different salts and weak acids as ion and proton conductors were prepared and characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV–visible spectrophotometry, photoluminescence emission spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The salts used are lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) and potassium perchlorate (KClO4), while the weak acids used are acetic acid (CH3COOH) and lactic acid (C3H6O3). The values of the ion conductivity obtained for the agar-based polymer films are 6.54 × 10−8, 9.12 × 10−8, 3.53 × 10−8, 2.24 × 10−8 S/cm for the agar/acetic acid, agar/lactic acid, agar/LiClO4 and agar/KClO4 polymer films, respectively. As a function of temperature, the ion conductivity exhibits an Arrhenius behavior and the estimated activation energy is ≈0.1 eV for all the samples. The samples depicted high values of dielectric permittivity toward low frequencies which is due mostly to electrode polarization effect. The samples showed very high transparency (85–98 %) in the visible region, and this high transparency is one of the major requirements for application in electrochromic devices (ECD). The values of conductivity and activation energy obtained indicate that the electrolytes are good materials for application in ECD.

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Abbreviations

σ :

Conductivity

σ 0 :

Constant related to the conductivity at 0 K

E a :

Activation energy

K :

Boltzmann’s constant

T :

Temperature

l :

Electrode separation

R b :

Bulk resistance

A :

Area between the electrolyte and electrode

C b :

Bulk capacitance

R 1 :

Blocking interface resistance

C PE :

Constant phase element

ɛ r :

Complex permittivity

\( \varepsilon^{{\prime }} \) :

Real part of dielectric constant

\( \varepsilon^{{\prime \prime }} \) :

Imaginary part of dielectric constant

ε 0 :

Permittivity of free space

C :

Capacitance value with the sample

C o :

Capacitance without the sample

ω :

Angular frequency

f :

Frequency

DSSC:

Dye-sensitized solar cell

ECD:

Electrochromic device

Tan δ :

Dissipation factor

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the US Army Research Laboratory–Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for their financial support under the Contract Number W911NF12-1-0588 and W911NF12-1-0597.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Centre for Energy Research and Development, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

    A. C. Nwanya

  2. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria

    A. C. Nwanya, C. I. Amaechi, A. E. Udounwa, R. U. Osuji & F. I. Ezema

  3. Nanosciences African Network (NANOAFNET), iThemba LABS-National Research Foundation, 1 Old Faure Road, Somerset West 7129, P.O. Box 722, Somerset West, Western Cape Province, South Africa

    R. U. Osuji, M. Maaza & F. I. Ezema

  4. UNESCO-UNISA Africa Chair in Nanosciences/Nanotechnology, College of Graduate Studies, University of South Africa (UNISA), Muckleneuk Ridge, P.O. Box 392, Pretoria, South Africa

    R. U. Osuji, M. Maaza & F. I. Ezema

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  1. A. C. Nwanya
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Nwanya, A.C., Amaechi, C.I., Udounwa, A.E. et al. Complex impedance and conductivity of agar-based ion-conducting polymer electrolytes. Appl. Phys. A 119, 387–396 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-014-8979-x

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