Study of the Electrical and Dielectric Properties of Polyethylene Oxide-Based Nanocomposites for Application in Lithium-Ion Batteries

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of polymer engineering, Faculty of engineering, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran.

2 Polymer and color engineering faculty, Amir Kabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic), Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Hypothesis: Fabricating polymer nanocomposites based on blends of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) containing graphene nanoplatelets, aimed at improving polymer compatibility and enhancing electrical conductivity for use in electrolyte membranes of lithium batteries, could yield materials with superior electrical and dielectric properties.
Methods: Nanocomposite films with varying weight ratios of PEO and PVDF and a constant 0.5 wt% graphene nanoplatelets were prepared using the solution casting method. The electrical performance of the samples was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy over a frequency range of 10 Hz to 10 MHz at room temperature. Conductivity, dielectric, and dielectric modulus properties were analyzed.
Findings: The alternating current (AC) conductivity followed Jonscher’s power law at high frequencies. The highest direct current (DC) conductivity at room temperature was calculated to be 2.82 × 10⁻⁹ S·m⁻¹ for the nanocomposite containing 60 wt% polyethylene oxide, which was attributed to the reduced crystallinity of the PEO component and increased free volume in the sample. This study demonstrated that the weight percentage of PEO was a critical factor determining the dielectric and conductive properties of PEO/PVDF-based nanocomposites. Samples with more than 50 wt% PEO exhibited higher ionic conductivity, evidenced by high dielectric constant values at low frequencies and a distinct peak in both loss tangent and electric modulus spectra. Analysis of the electric modulus confirmed the ionic nature of these materials, revealing that increased PEO content enhanced ion dynamics and charge carrier mobility. This led to a decreased relaxation time and consequently higher electrical conductivity. The findings demonstrate the successful fabrication of polyethylene oxide/polyvinylidene fluoride/graphene nanocomposite films with enhanced electrical and dielectric properties, suitable for use in energy storage devices particularly in solid polymer electrolytes for lithium-ion batteries.

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Iranian Journal of Polymer Science and Technology
Volume 38, Issue 3 - Serial Number 197
September and October 2025

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