Poly(ethylene oxide) electrolytes containing mixed salts

An unusual conductivity enhancement occurs in PEO-based ZnBr₂/LiBr electrolytes of composition, [xZnBr₂ + (1 ? x)LiBr](PEO)₁₆ with x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00. The conductivity of the mixed-salt electrolytes is higher than that of either pure salt electrolyte. The highest conductivity, observed for x = 0.5, is two orders of magnitude higher than that of pure LiBr(PEO)₁₆ and one order higher than ZnBr₂(PEO)₁₆. In contrast, the conductivity of mixed Mg (CIO₄)₂/LiCIO₄ electrolytes, [xMg(CIO₄)₂ + (1 ? x) LiCIO₄](PEO)₁₆ where x = 0.00, 0.20, 0.50, 0.80, 1.00, increases monotonically with the mole fraction of the higher conductivity component, LiCIO₄(PEO)₁₆. The conductivity and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results suggest that the conductivity enhancement in the ZnBr₂/LiBr electrolytes results from a change in charge carrier type and concentration, whereas the conductivity change in the Mg(CIO₄)₂/LiCIO₄ electrolytes arises from a change in the microscopic viscosity of the electrolytes. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.