New class of soft matter electrolytes obtained via heterogeneous doping: Percolation effects in “soggy sand” electrolytes

Percolation effects observed in the ionic conductivity variation with oxide volume fraction in “soggy sand” electrolytes [A non-aqueous electrolyte and a battery, a supercapacitor, and electrochromic device and a solar cell including such an electrolyte, Aninda Bhattacharyya and Joachim Maier, GI-Nr.: 3170 GBC; European Patent application-2003 EPA 03018161; US application filing-2004, A.J. Bhattacharyya, J. Maier, Adv. Mater. 16 (2004) 811] are discussed in the light of conductivity and rheological measurements. The enhancement in ionic conductivity of the composites is attributed to the formation of a percolating attractive network of insulating particles.