Innovative Methylcellulose-Polyvinyl Pyrrolidone-Based Solid Polymer Electrolytes Impregnated with Potassium Salt: Ion Conduction and Thermal Properties

In this research, innovative green and sustainable solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) based on plasticized methylcellulose/polyvinyl pyrrolidone/potassium carbonate (MC/PVP/K2CO3) were examined. The MC/PVP/K2CO3 SPE system with five distinct ethylene carbonate (EC) concentrations as a plasticizer was successfully designed. Frequency-dependent conductivity plots were used to investigate the conduction mechanism of the SPEs. Electrochemical potential window stability and the cation transfer number of the SPEs were studied via linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and transference number measurement (TNM), respectively. Additionally, the structural behavior of the SPEs was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffractometry (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. The SPE film complexed with 15 wt.% EC measured a maximum conductivity of 3.88 × 10−4 Scm−1. According to the results of the transference number examination, cations that record a transference number of 0.949 are the primary charge carriers. An EDLC was fabricated based on the highest conducting sample that recorded a specific capacitance of 54.936 Fg−1 at 5 mVs−1.