Sodium‐Ion‐Conducting Alginate‐Based Electrolyte Material for Energy Storage Applications

• DOI: 10.1002/ente.202401912
• Publication Date: 2025-03-18T05:35:17Z
• Authors: Shashikant Yadav; Dipendra Kumar Verma; Rudramani Tiwari; Devendra Kumar; Km Parwati; Rajshree Rai; Pubali Adhikary; Subramanian Krish...

A green pseudosolid polymer electrolyte is prepared using sodium alginate and sodium polyphosphate via a sustainable solution‐cast method with water as the medium. The amorphous anionic polymer backbone enables easy cationic movement, enhancing ionic conductivity. This water‐in‐salt electrolyte exhibits an electrochemical stability window of 3.2 V and a cationic transport number of 0.90%. Thermal analysis confirms stability up to 150 °C, making it suitable for high‐temperature applications. X‐ray diffraction analysis verifies its amorphous nature, facilitating smooth ion transport, while scanning electron microscopy reveals a smooth morphology with well‐defined pores, improving electrode interface stability. At room temperature, the electrolyte displays electrical conductivity around 10−5 S cm−1, increasing to 10−4 S cm−1 above 40 °C. The drift ionic velocity is ≈10−5 m s−1, with ionic mobility of 10−7 mV s−1. Cage‐type hopping dominates ionic movement, requiring a low activation energy of 0.158 eV. Incorporating an ionic liquid as a plasticizer further enhances conductivity to 10−3 S cm−1. Additionally, the material exhibits dielectric relaxation due to polar group orientation. Its high capacitance with minimal electrode contribution makes it a promising candidate for energy storage applications, offering excellent electrochemical and thermal stability, along with superior electrode–electrolyte interface properties.