Micro-porous P(VDF-HFP)-based polymer electrolyte filled with Al2O3 nanoparticles

A micro-porous poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene)[P(VDF-HFP)]-based electrolyte (MPE) is prepared by the phase inversion technology using N, N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) as solvent and distilled water as non-solvent. In order to enhance the porosity of polymer membrane, glycerin is added to the polymer solution as plasticizer as well as non-solvent. Various amounts of alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles are used as fillers in the preparation of porous polymer membrane. The crystallinity of polymer matrix decreases with addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles and the amorphous phase expands accordingly. The resulting MPE has 2.11 × 10− 3 S·cm− 1 of ionic conductivity, 0.66 of the lithium ions transference number and 4.816 kJ·mol− 1 of the activation energy for ions transport when the polymer matrix contains 10% of the mass fraction of Al2O3 nanoparticles. Effect of Al2O3 on the electrochemical properties of polymer electrolyte has been investigated in this paper. Analysis of FTIR spectra shows that there is an interaction between Al2O3 nanoparticles and CF bonds of polymer chain.