Effect of Oxidant Ratio on the Structural and Electrical Behavior of Biopolymer Electrolyte Based on Chitosan: PANI Blend

Abstract

Chitosan/polyaniline (Cs/PANI) biopolymer electrolyte films were prepared by the solution casting method to investigate the influence of the oxidant-to-monomer ratio during PANI synthesis on their structural, optical, thermal, morphological, and electrical properties. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the interaction between Cs and PANI through characteristic shifts in the absorption bands, indicating enhanced intermolecular interactions. UV-vis. Analysis revealed that increasing the oxidant ratio reduced the optical band gap from 2 to 1.8 eV, while electrical measurements demonstrated an improvement in ionic conductivity from 8.47×10-3 to 1.06 ×10-2 S. cm⁻¹. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a more homogeneous distribution of PANI within the Cs matrix, with reduced particle agglomeration. In contrast, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated enhanced thermal stability and improved polymer chain mobility. These results demonstrate that optimizing the oxidant ratio is an effective approach for enhancing the structural organization, charge transport, and thermal performance of Cs/PANI biopolymer electrolytes, highlighting their potential for solid-state energy storage and flexible electronic applications.