Improvement of Transport Behavior and Conductivity of CS: PVA Eco‐Friendly Blend Film Using Silver Nitrate Salt

ABSTRACT In the current study, solid biopolymer blend electrolytes based on polyvinyl alcohol: chitosan (PVA:CS) incorporated with various quantities of silver nitrate were successfully prepared by using solution‐casting methodology. The structural properties were studied using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscopes while electrochemical characteristics were examined using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Cyclic voltammetry (CV). In the structural analysis, the shifting of peaks and changes in the intensity of FTIR bands indicates the interaction at the molecular level. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) was used to confirm the build‐up of the amorphous phase. The enrichment of the amorphous phase with increasing salt concentration was confirmed by observing broad peaks. The outcome from X‐ray diffraction (XRD) examination illustrates that the electrolyte with highest conductivity exhibits the minimum degree of crystallinity. The maximum DC ionic conductivity was measured to be 1.35 × 10 −3 Scm −1 when 15 wt.% of AgNO 3 was added. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) response shows that the nature of the capacitor is Faradaic where oxidation and reduction peaks appear. Faradaic processes represent electron transfer reactions at the interface between an electrode and its contacting solid electrolyte phase that is able to accept or donate electrons. A remarkable specific capacitance of 1.8 × 10 −3 Fg −1 is exhibited by BPE film with 15 wt.% of AgNO 3 .