Effect of surface modified porous inorganic-organic hybrid polyphosphazene nanotubes on the properties of polyethylene oxide based solid polymer electrolytes

2-(2-methyloxyethoxy)ethanol modified poly (cyclotriphosphazene-co-4,4'-sufonyldiphenol)(PZS) nanotubes were synthesized and solid composite polymer electrolytes based on the surface modified polyphosphazene nanotubes added to PEO/LiClO4 model system were prepared. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate the characteristics of the composite polymer electrolytes (CPE). The ionic conductivity, lithium ion transference number and electrochemical stability window can be enhanced after the addition of surface modified PZS nanotubes. The electrochemical investigation shows that the solid composite polymer electrolytes incorporated with PZS nanotubes have higher ionic conductivity and lithium ion transference number than the filler SiO2. Maximum ionic conductivity values of 4.95 X 10(-5) S cm(-1) at ambient temperature and 1.64 x 10(-3) S cm-1 at 80 C with 10 wt %content of surface modified PZS nanotubes were obtained and the lithium ion transference number was 0.41. The good chemical properties of the solid state composite polymer electrolytes suggested that the inorganic-organic hybrid polyphosphazene nanotubes had a promising use as fillers in solid composite polymer electrolytes and the PEO10-LiClO4-PZS nanotubes solid composite polymer electrolyte can be used as a candidate material for lithium polymer batteries. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.