title: A comparative study of nano-SiO2 and nano-TiO2 fillers on proton conductivity and dielectric response of a silicotungstic acid-H3PO4-poly(vinyl alcohol) polymer electrolyte.
abstract: The effects of nano-SiO2 and nano-TiO2 fillers on a thin film silicotungstic acid (SiWA)-H3PO4-poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) proton conducting polymer electrolyte were studied and compared with respect to their proton conductivity, environmental stability, and dielectric properties, across a temperature range from 243 to 323 K. Three major effects of these fillers have been identified: (a) barrier effect; (b) intrinsic dielectric constant effect; and (c) water retention effect. Dielectric analyses were used to differentiate these effects on polymer electrolyte-enabled capacitors. Capacitor performance was correlated to electrolyte properties through dielectric constant and dielectric loss spectra. Using a single-ion approach, proton density and proton mobility of each polymer electrolyte were derived as a function of temperature. The results allow us to deconvolute the different contributions to proton conductivity in SiWA-H3PO4-PVA-based electrolytes, especially in terms of the effects of fillers on the dynamic equilibrium of free protons and protonated water in the electrolytes.
authors: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Toronto , Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E4.
authors: Han
authors: H
authors: Gao
authors: Keryn
authors: K
authors: Lian