Isolation and characterization of hemicellulose blended carboxymethylcellulose films incorporated with lithium perchlorate as a potential ion conductive biopolymer

[Display omitted] •H-CMC film was prepared using solution casting process.•LiClO4 in H-CMC films shows enhanced ionic conductivity on host polymer.•LiClO4 loading is affected on the mechanical strength of the film.•This conductive biopolymer is suggested to utilize in biomedical applications. In the present study, hemicellulose blended carboxymethyl cellulose (H-CMC) films were prepared using solution casting process at a weight ratio of 3:2 of hemicellulose and CMC. The physicochemical properties and ionic conductivity of the prepared films were developed by incorporating lithium perchlorate (LiClO4) (1–5 wt%) as a doped salt. Morphology, chemical behavior, crystallinity, mechanical strength and ionic conductivity of the LiClO4 incorporated H-CMC were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), tensile test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) respectively. FTIR analysis showed the complexation between host polymer and the doped salt. The highest tensile strength is associated with 3 wt% of LiClO4 and the highest ionic conductivity was obtained with 5 wt% of LiClO4. Therefore 5 wt% of LiClO4 was identified as the best loading to be incorporated with H-CMC films with the purpose of developing ion conductive H-CMC-LiClO4 films.