Study of the conductivity of solid polymeric electrolyte based on PVA/GA blend with addition of acetic acid

This study searches the ion transport behavior and structural investigation of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) containing poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and gum arabic (GA) with diverse amount of acetic acid for a possible application in electrochemical devices. The SPE system was prepared by the casting method and studied by electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The best ionic conductivities of 2.22 x 10(-5) and 17.70 x 10(-5) S.cm(-1) at 25 and 80 degrees C, respectively, were measured for PVA/GA with 42 wt% of acetic acid. FTIR analysis confirmed PVA, GA, and acetic acid -OH, -C=O, and -COO- characteristic peaks. The ionic conductivity of PVA/GA SPE was affected by its ionic transport properties and amorphousness, which was revealed by deconvolution of XRD diffractograms. Additionally, AFM images proved predominantly homogeneous surface of the samples.