Electrical and optical properties of (PEMA/PVC) polymer blend electrolyte doped with NaClO4

Sodium ion conducting polymer blend electrolytes based on poly (vinyl chloride)/poly (ethyl methacralyte) complexed with NaClO4 were prepared using a solution casting technique. The features of complexation of the electrolytes were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD). DC conductivity of the films was measured in the temperature range 303-398 K. The electrical conductivity increased with increasing dopant concentration, which is attributed to the formation of charge transfer complexes. The polymer complexes exhibited Arrhenius type dependence of conductivity with temperature. In the temperature range studied, two regions with different activation energies were observed. Transference number data showed that the charge transport in this system is predominantly due to ions. Electrochemical cells of configuration Na/(PEMA + PVC + NaClO4)/(I2 + C + electrolyte) were fabricated and the discharge characteristics of these cells were studied under a constant load of 100 KΩ. Several cell parameters associated with the cells were evaluated and compared with earlier reports. Optical properties such as absorption edge, direct band gap and indirect band gap were estimated for pure and doped films from their optical absorption spectra in the wavelength region 200-600 nm. It was found that the energy gap and band edge values shifted to lower energies on doping with NaClO4 salt.