Evaluation and investigation on the effect of ionic liquid onto PMMA-PVC gel polymer blend electrolytes

1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl imide), BmImTFSI based poly(methyl methacrylate)-poly (vinyl chloride), PMMA-PVC gel polymer electrolytes were prepared by solution casting technique. These ionic liquid-based gel polymer electrolytes exhibit Arrhenius type temperature dependence of ionic conductivity. The highest ionic conductivity of (8.08 ± 0.01) × 10− 4 Scm−1 was achieved at 80 °C upon addition of 60 wt.% of BmImTFSI. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies revealed the amorphous nature and morphology of these polymer electrolytes, respectively. The lower coherence length of the peak inferred the higher amorphous degree in these polymer matrices. Decreases in Tg and Tm indicate the flexibility of polymer backbone. The amorphous behavior of these ionic liquid-based gel polymer electrolytes are also enhanced as shown in differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. On the contrary, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) divulges that the thermal stability of polymer electrolytes has been improved upon impregnation of BmImTFSI.

Research Highlights
► BmImTFSI is the ionic liquid used in PMMA-PVC based polymer electrolytes.
► The presence of ionic liquid increases the ionic conductivity.
► XRD and SEM reveal the amorphous nature of the ionic liquid polymer electrolytes.