Plasticized Lithium Ion Conducting PLA Based Polymer Electrolyte for Application in EDLC

The polymer electrolyte membrane functions as both an electrolyte and a separator within an energy storage device. This article provides an analysis of the performance of the manufactured electric double-layer capacitors (EDLC) using plasticized lithium ion conducting poly (lactic acid) (PLA) based solid polymer electrolytes (BPEs). At present, the electrolyte employed in EDLC often consists of aqueous, organic, or liquid salts/ionic liquids. However, these electrolyte options are often accompanied by issues like leakage, self-discharge, corrosion, and bulky design. Therefore, the objective of this work is to explore the potential of Plasticized PLA BPEs as a solid-based form for EDLC application, with the aim of mitigating the issue and evaluating its performance. This study focuses on characterizing the complexes of LiCF3SO3- PLA with varying weight percentages of polypropylene carbonate (5 wt.%, 10 wt.%, 15 wt.%, 20 wt.%, and 25 wt.%). The high-conducting samples were then utilized for application in EDLC, and the performance of the EDLC was further studied. It is specified that the transference numbers of ions (tion) and electrons (tel) are 0.98 and 0.02, correspondingly. As determined by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), the potential window is 7.10 V. Electrodes for the EDLC were manufactured utilizing the preferred combination of activated carbon (AC) and carbon black. By sandwiching the Plasticized PLA BPEs between two carbon-based electrodes, cyclic voltammetry (CV) was performed, which disclosed an almost rectangular shape. The EDLC demonstrated average values of 158.89 Ω for equivalent series resistance, 46.5 F/g for specific capacitance and 0.987 Wh/kg for energy density. The initial power density was determined by the EDLC to be 130 W/kg. In conclusion, plasticized lithium ion conducting PLA BPEs were successfully fabricated and employed in EDLC applications.