ABSTRACT Chitosan is a natural polymer derived from the deacetylation process of chitin. A monomer of chitosan consists of hydroxyl and amine functional groups which have lone pair electrons at the oxygen and nitrogen atoms respectively that qualify chitosan as a host for ionic conduction when doped with organic/inorganic salts. Chitosan-based electrolytes can be easily prepared by the solution-cast technique. This paper focuses on chitosan-based polymer electrolyte doped with various salts such as NH4NO3, NH4I, NH4CF3SO3, LiCF3SO3, LiOAc, etc. Conductivity enhancement has been obtained by blending chitosan with different polymers and by incorporating plasticizers and/or fillers to the polymer-salt systems. Characterization of the chitosan-based electrolytes by x-ray diffraction (XRD), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) together with applications in batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells and solar cells will be discussed.
Buy this Article
|