SAXS/DSC/WAXD study of temperature evolution in nanocomposite polymer electrolytes with different nanofillers

Polymer electrolytes are nanostructured materials which are very attractive components for batteries and opto-electronic devices. (PEO)8ZnCl2 polymer electrolytes were prepared from PEO and ZnCl2. The nanocomposites (PEO)8ZnCI2 themselves contained TiO2, Al2O3, MgO, ZnO and V2O5 nanograins. In this work, the influence of the Al2O3, MgO and V2O5 nanograins on the morphology and ionic conductivity of the nanocomposite was systematically studied by transmission small-angle X-ray scattering simultaneously recorded with wide-angle X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry at the synchrotron ELETTRA (Trieste, Italy). These three measurement methods yielded insight into the temperature-dependent changes of the grains of the electrolyte. The heating and cooling rate was 0.5 degrees C/min. Environment friendly galvanic cells as well as solar cells of the second generation are to be constructed with such nanocomposite polymer as electrolyte.