Abstract:
Two solid biopolymer electrolyte (SBE) systems of carboxymethyl cellulose doped
ammonium chloride (CMC-AC) and plasticized with propylene carbonate (CMC-
AC-PC) have been successfully prepared by solution casting technique. Both SBE
systems were translucent, free-standing and flexible with no phase separation. In this
research, two different IR methods; Gaussian 09W software as computational and
Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) as experimental, were used to identify the
complexation between polymer, salt and plasticizer. Gaussian 09W analysis reveals
the complexation occurred between CMC and AC at 1412cm
-1
-1
and 1585cm
. No
significant complexation is observed with the addition of PC, hence, PC has created
new pathway and acted as lubricant in the SBEs. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis
showed the amorphous pattern for both systems. With the addition of PC, XRD
analysis showed that PC had increased the amorphousness of the SBEs. Thermal
analysis by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) showed decrease in the value
of glass transition temperature, Tg with addition of salt / plasticizer concentration
