Electrical conductivity in ionic complexes of poly(ethylene oxide)

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Abstract
The temperature dependence of d.c. conductivity of poly(ethylene oxide) complexes with sodium iodide and the thiocyanates of sodium, potassium and ammonium has been investigated. In each case a transition to a lower activation energy at higher temperatures was observed. For the sodium complexes this transition occurs at ca 55°C which is well below the crystalline melting points at 200°C. For the potassium and ammonium complexes however, the transitions coincide with the melting points at ca 100 and 70°C respectively. It is proposed that at the transitions, thermal disintegration of complexes in the amorphous regions occurs. The complexes involve coordination of the cations to the ether oxygen atoms in the polymer backbone.