Determination of the interaction using FTIR within the components of GPE based on the synthesized grafted polymer

An oxyethylene chain (–CH₂–CH₂–O–) grafted polymer (P(MMA–MAh)–PEGME) was synthesized by reacting poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether (PEGME) with the copolymer of poly(methyl metacrylate–maleic anhydride) (P(MMA–MAh)) and endcapping the residual carboxylic acid with methanol. Rectorite modified with dodecyl benzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (OREC) was used as a filler additive to modify gel polymer electrolytes (GPE) that consisted of P(MMA–MAh)–PEGME used as polymer matrix, propylene carbonate (PC) as plasticizer and LiClO₄ as lithium ion producer. Characterization of interaction of the polar group of C=O or C–O–C in PC and grafted polymer with Li⁺ and OH group on OREC surface has been thoroughly examined using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), respectively. The quantitative analysis of FTIR shows that the absorptivity coefficients (a) of polymer/LiClO₄, PC/LiClO₄, PC/OREC and polymer/OREC are 0.705, 0.113, 0.430 and 0.500, respectively, which means that the Li⁺ or OH bonded polar group of C=O and C–O–C is more sensitive than free C=O and C–O–C in FTIR spectra. The limited values of bonded C=O and C–O–C equivalent fraction of polymer/LiClO₄, PC/LiClO₄, PC/OREC and polymer/OREC are 33%, 94%, 60% and 22%, respectively, which implies that the interaction within the components is reversible and the intensity of interaction is ordered as PC/LiClO₄, PC/OREC, polymer/OREC and polymer/LiClO₄.