ZINC CONDUCTING POLYMER ELECTROLYTES BASED ON A VEHICULAR PROCESS

The transport of a metallic cation in a solid polymer electrolyte can be increased drastically by a vehicular mechanism. Results are present ed for polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based electrolyte on Zn2+ transport wi th various anionic ligand salts. Preliminary results have shown that c hloride ion is the most suitable ligand for zinc ionic transport. Elec trochemical investigations based on cyclic voltametry, ac impedance, a nd de polarization have demonstrated a reversible zinc plating/strippi ng process with fair conductivities. Furthermore, zinc-transport curre nt densities of more than 1 mA/cm2 were obtained with a small polariza tion on a symmetrical vehicular PEO-ZnX2 electrolyte cell, without any appreciable transport limitation of the electrolyte.