Electrical Properties of Jackfruit Seed Starch and Polyvinyl Alcohol Blend with Different Composition of Zinc Oxide

A biopolymer electrolyte made from natural polymer consists of jackfruit seed starch (JSS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) with a different composition of zinc oxide (ZnO) was prepared using the solution casting method. The incorporation of metal oxides such as ZnO into natural polymers can improve the electrical properties, which can produce biodegradable energy storage devices. This innovation may aid in the reduction of the use of electronic devices, which generate e-waste. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the effect of ZnO addition to the biopolymer in terms of its electrical properties. The samples were prepared by using the solution casting method. Different percentages of ZnO were mixed with JSS, PVA, hydrocloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and glycerol before being moulded in a petri dish and dried at room temperature. The electrical properties of the blends were then characterized by using an Agilent 4284a Precision LCR meter. The highest ionic conductivity value for JSS and PVA after the addition of ZnO is 1.10x10-6 Scm-1 with 10% of ZnO, and the lowest conductivity is 2.11x10-7 Scm-1 with 14% of ZnO. The dielectric and electric modulus were further studied in order to understand the electrode polarization effect.