Ionic conductivity and dielectric properties of potato starch-magnesium acetate biopolymer electrolytes: the effect of glycerol and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride

In the present work, the effect of glycerol and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BmImCl) on the conductivity and dielectric properties of potato starch doped with magnesium acetate, Mg(C2H3O2)(2)-based electrolytes is studied. The electrolytes are prepared via solution cast technique. The interaction between the materials is proven by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. Electrolyte with 20 wt.% Mg(C2H3O2)(2) exhibits a room temperature conductivity of (2.44 +/- 0.37) x 10(-8) S cm(-1). The addition of 30 wt.% glycerol to the best polymer-salt composition has further enhanced the conductivity to (2.60 +/- 0.42) x 10(-6) S cm(-1). A conductivity of (1.12 +/- 0.08) x 10(-5) S cm(-1) has been achieved when 18 wt.% BmImCl is added to the best polymer-salt-plasticizer composition. From the loss tangent (tan d) plot, the relaxation time (t(r)) for selected electrolytes is determined. From transference number measurements, ions are found to be the dominant charge carriers.