Material PropertiesGel P (VdF/HFP) / PVAc / lithium hexafluorophosphate composite electrolyte containing nano ZnO filler for lithium ion batteries application: Effect of nano filler concentration on structure, thermal stability and transport properties

- Gel co-polymer composites and gel co-polymer nano composites electrolytes were prepared using solution cast technique.
- A sample containing 6 wt % of nano ZnO showed less crystalline structure and high conductivity value at room temperature (3.69 × 10−4 Ω−1 cm−1).
- The same sample showed a high decomposition temperature (Td = 325 °C), revealing the high thermal stability nature.

Nano ZnO filler incorporating gel co-polymer composites electrolytes membranes were prepared using a solution cast technique. All prepared membranes were characterized using different techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis (TG, DSC), Fourier transform infra -red spectroscopy (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray diffraction analysis showed the effect of lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6), poly vinyl acetate (PVAc) and nano zinc oxide (ZnO) on the crystalline structure of the polyvinylidene fluoride -co- hexafluoro propylene (PVdF-co-HFP) matrix containing ethylene carbonate (EC) and diethyl carbonate (DEC) as plasticizers. FT-IR analysis confirmed the good dissolution of the LiPF6 salt and the good interaction of the nano ZnO filler with the co-polymer matrix. TG analysis showed the good thermal stability of the samples containing ZnO compared to the free one. Also, addition of nano ZnO filler enhanced the conductivity value of the co-polymer composites electrolytes. The sample containing 6 wt % of ZnO delivered the highest conductivity value of about 3.69 × 10−4 Ω−1 cm−1 at room temperature with a good thermal stability behavior (Td = 325 °C).

Optimized co-polymer nano composite electrolyte (OCPNCE) [PVdF-co-HFP/PVAc/EC - DEC/LiPF6/nano ZnO] with low activation energy (Ea) and high decomposition temperature (Td) values.