WAXD study of TiO 2 nanoparticles and the effect of γ-radiation on nanopolymer electrolyte (original) (raw)

Polymer electrolytes as nanostructured materials are very attractive for components of batteries and opto-electronic devices. (PEO) 8 ZnCl 2 polymer electrolytes and nanocomposites were prepared using PEO -irradiated to a selected dose of 529 kGy and with addition of 10% of TiO 2 nanograins. The influence of the added nanosize TiO 2 grains to the polymer electrolytes and the effect of -radiation from a Co-60 source were studied by smallangle X-ray scattering (SAXS) simultaneously recorded with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) at the synchrotron ELETTRA. Infrared (IR) and impedance spectroscopy (IS) were also performed [1]. It was shown by previous impedance spectroscopy (IS) that the room temperature conductivity of nanocomposite polymer electrolyte increased more than two times above 65°C, relative to pure composites of PEO and salts. We observed changes between 293 K and 373 K for treated and as prepared polymer electrolyte in SAXS, DSC and WAXD spectra and during the phase transition to the superionic phase at 335 K [2, 3]. The SAXS/DSC measurements yielded insight into the temperature-dependent changes of the grains of the electrolyte as well as to differences due to different heating and cooling rates. The crystal structure and temperatures of melting and crystallization of the nanosize grains was revealed by the simultaneous WAXD measurements.