The preliminary study on cassava (Manihot Esculenta) as gel polymer electrolyte for zinc-air battery

The work investigates the characterization of cassava as gel polymer electrolyte for zinc-air battery.
The usage of application energy storage such as battery are important due to energy renewable, emergency
power supply and portable energy. Commonly, polymer gel electrolyte is not biodegradable and harmful to
environmental. Besides, it also faces the problem of leakage that might affect short the life cycle of battery. To
overcome the problem, cassava gel electrolyte with additional potassium hydroxide is potential and should be
suitable material due to biodegradable and could prevent leakage. Preparation cassava gel electrolyte started by
mixing cassava powder with deionized water before heated to gelling form present. The cassava gel then mixed
with different KOH concentration forming cassava GPE. The ionic conductivity, viscoelastic and window
stability were evaluated using varying cassava amount and KOH concentration. Conductivity value of pure
cassava gel increase drastically after adding KOH solution. The highest ionic conductivity of cassava GPE
recorded was at 6 M KOH. The viscosity of cassava GPE was remain constant and does not shown high
different in value as the concentration KOH was increased.