Symmetric electric double-layer capacitor containing imidazolium ionic liquid-based solid polymer electrolyte: Effect of TiO2 and ZnO nanoparticles on electrochemical behavior

Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropene) (PVDF-HFP)-based polymer electrolytes embedded with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ioniliquid have been synthesized to improve the ionic conductivity. Electric double-layer capacitors (EDLC) have been prepared using the synthesized polymer electrolytes. Inorganic oxide fillers (5 wt %) such as titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles have been added to polymer electrolytes to compare the electrochemical behavior of the fabricated EDLC. The intrinsic dielectric constant of nanoparticles contributes in ionic dissociation which enhances ionic conductivity of electrolytes and also controls the specific capacitance of the EDLC fabricated with these electrolytes. Physicochemical properties of polymer nanocomposites have been investigated using X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and Fourier transform infrared analysis, which confirms decrease of crystalline phase in host polymer PVDF-HFP. The maximum voltage stability is obtained for TiO2-based polymer electrolyte. The high specific capacitance as well as high energy density is obtained for the EDLC cell with TiO2-based polymer electrolyte compared to EDLC with ZnO nanoparticles-based electrolyte. EDLC cells show specific capacitance of 76.4 and 44.51% of initial specific capacitance value at 2000th cycle for ZnO and TiO2-based polymer electrolytes, respectively. (c) 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 137, 48757.