Luminescent κ-Carrageenan-Based Electrolytes Containing Neodymium Triflate

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Growing demand for sustainable materials in electrochemical devices.
• Biopolymers offer a renewable and cost-effective alternative to synthetic polymers.
• κ-carrageenan (κ-Cg) is a promising biopolymer due to its gelling properties and natural abundance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel polymer electrolytes from κ-Cg doped with neodymium triflate (NdTrif₃) and glycerol (Gly).
• To develop near-infrared (NIR)-emitting materials with improved thermal, mechanical, and ionic conductivity properties.
• To explore the potential of these biopolymer-based electrolytes for green electrochemical applications.

Main Methods:

• Simple, clean, fast, and low-cost synthesis of κ-Cg based membranes.
• Doping κ-Cg with varying concentrations of NdTrif₃ and Gly.
• Characterization of membrane properties including ionic conductivity, thermal stability, and mechanical strength.
• Spectroscopic analysis for emission properties.

Main Results:

• Synthesized κ-Cg membranes exhibited semi-crystalline structure and homogeneous texture.
• Ionic conductivity was enhanced by 1–2 orders of magnitude compared to the pure κ-Cg matrix.
• Optimal ionic conductivity of 1.69 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ achieved at 97 °C for membranes with 50 wt.% Gly/κ-Cg and 20 wt.% NdTrif₃/κ-Cg.
• The membranes demonstrated multi-wavelength emission from UV/Visible to NIR regions.

Conclusions:

• Neodymium triflate-doped κ-Cg and glycerol electrolytes are effective for sustainable green electrochemical devices.
• The developed materials possess enhanced ionic conductivity and NIR-emitting properties.
• This research highlights the potential of seaweed-derived polysaccharides as host matrices for advanced functional materials.