Ag+ ion transport studies in a polyvinyl alcohol-based polymer electrolyte system

Thick films of pure polyvinyl alcohol and polyvinyl alcohol doped with silver nitrate with different compositions have been prepared by solution cast technique. The FT-IR spectrum confirms the complexation process. The conductivity of the pure polyvinyl alcohol is of the order of 10⁻⁷ Sm⁻¹ at 90 °C, and its value increases by two orders of magnitude when doped with 20 wt% of AgNO₃. The activation energy, calculated from the Arrhenius plot for all compositions of the poly vinyl alcohol doped with silver nitrate, is between 0.24 and 0.35 eV. The migration energy for the ion in polymer electrolyte has been calculated from the modulus spectrum, and is in good agreement with the activation energy calculated from the Arrhenius plot. The modulus spectra indicate the non-Debye nature of the material.