Structural Studies and Ionic Transport Properties of Solid Biopolymer Electrolytes Based on Chitosan/ Methyl Cellulose Blend Doped with BMIMTFSI

Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), was used to study the complexation, structural, ionic transport properties and dominant charge carrier species in Chitosan (CS) / Methyl Cellulose (MC) blend doped with 1 – butyl – 3 – methylimidazolium bis(trifluorosulfonyl)imide (BMIMTFSI) solid biopolymer electrolytes which have been fabricated via solution casting method. Samples were partially milky in physical appearance with the absent of phase separation. The existence of interactions between the CS/MC blend as the host polymer and ionic dopant BMIMTFSI were proven by FT-IR spectra analysis from the shift in C-O band in 1049 cm-1. The FTIR spectrum in the region from 1080 to 980 cm−1 were deconvoluted using Origin 8 software to show the per of free mobile ions and contact ion of the samples. Ionic transport properties studies shows that the ionic conductivity is dependent on the ionic mobility (μ) and diffusion coefficient of ions (D). © 2020 Trans Tech Publications Ltd, Switzerland.