Binary Ce(III) and Li(I) triflate salt composition for solid polymer electrolytes

This study describes the results of the characterization of solid polymer electrolytes using chitosan matrix plasticized with glycerol and doped with cerium and lithium triflates binary salt composition. The electrolytes were prepared by solvent casting method and characterized by thermal analysis (thermogravimetric analysis - TGA and differential scanning calorimetry - DSC), impedance measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Samples are thermally stable up to 128-153ºC and most of them are amorphous. In some cases, the appearance of crystalline peaks is due to the diffraction of salt domains, which makes the samples less conductive. The room temperature conductivity maximum of 10-6 S cm-1 at 30ºC was obtained for the samples with the same total salts mass of 0.15 g (ChitCeTrif0.05LiTrif0.10 and ChitCeTrif0.10LiTrif0.05). Finally, the EPR analysis suggests that the local coordination environment of the paramagnetic Ce3+ is not the same in different samples. In summary, beside the modest conductivity values of these samples, they are still adequate for some electrochemical applications.We are grateful to the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and FEDER (Ref. UID/QUI/00686/2013 and UID/QUI/0686/2016) and program POCH/FSE for a grant SFRH/BD/97232/2013 (R. Alves) for financial support of this work. The authors are grateful to Mr. Marcos de Oliveira, Jr. for technical assistance. The financial support of the Brazilian agencies Capes and The Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) are gratefully acknowledged. Research was partially financed by the CeRTEV, Center for Research, Technology and Education in Vitreous Materials, FAPESP 2013/07793-6. M. M. Silva and A. Pawlicka acknowledges The Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for grants provided by this institution (PVE grant 406617/2013-9 and PQ grant 305029/2013- 4).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio