Optimization of performances of gelatin/LiBF4-based polymer electrolytes by plasticizing effects

Gelatin is a cheap and abundant natural product with very good biodegradation properties and can be used to obtain acetic acid or LiClO4-based gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) with high ionic conductivity and good stability. This article presents results of GPEs obtained by the plasticization of gelatin and addition of LiBF4, where the optimization of the system was achieved by using a factorial design type 22 with two variables: glycerol and LiBF4. From this analysis it was stated that the effect of glycerol as a plasticizer on the ionic conductivity results is much more important than the effect obtained by varying the lithium salt content or the effect of the interaction of both variables. Also all the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction measurements, UV–vis–NIR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and impedance spectroscopy. The ionic conductivity results of all analyzed samples as a function of temperature obey predominantly an Arrhenius relationship and the samples are stable up to 160 °C. Good conductivity results combined with transparency and good adhesion to the electrodes have shown that gelatin-based GPEs are very promising materials to be used as solid electrolytes in electrochromic devices.