Characterization of Some Poly(Acrylonitrile)-Based Gel Electrolytes

A series of poly(acrylonitrile)-based gel electrolytes was synthesized using poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN), propylene carbonate (PC), and ethylene carbonate (EC) mixtures with different ratios of them for a group of alkali metal salts over a range of concentrations. The electrolytes were characterized in the present article. The conductivity of electrolytes reached values of the order of 10^-3S/cm at ambient temperature and varied with salt, solvent, and PAN content. The composition for a gel electrolyte with good properties was PC]:EC]:PAN]:salt] = 1.00:1.16:0.63:0.24 (mole ratio). The conduction behavior of the electrolytes is similar to that of solution electrolytes and conductivities were found to follow an Arrhenius law.