Structural and electrochemical properties of ZrO2 doped PVP-Na+ based nanocomposite polymer films

Polymer based nanocomposite polymer films are prepared with polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and sodium metaphosphate (NaPO3) into which zirconium oxide (ZrO2) is dispersed by different wt% compositional ratios using solution cast technique. The prepared polymer films are characterized by different analytical methods. XRD studies have revealed the semicrystalline phase of the prepared nanocomposite films. The interlinking band formation and their complex nature with dopant ions are analyzed by FTIR and Raman studies. DSC analysis have revealed the glass transition temperature, Tg = 42.5 °C at which the phase transformation changes from glassy to rubbery amorphous phase on heating. The AC conductivity is measured in the frequency ranging from 42 Hz to 5 MHz. The ionic conductivity is found to be maximum (1.02 ×10−3 S/cm) for the film prepared with wt% composition of PVP + NaPO3: ZrO2 (60:40:4%) at room temperature. Electrochemical studies are also carried out on the prepared polymer films for solid state battery application.