ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Synthesis of [K(PEG)]⁺(I₃)⁻ complex and study of conductivity and antibacterial activity

Geetanjali Baruah, Dipjyoti Gogoi, Roktim Ronjon Phukan, Arkajyoti Bora, Rupa Rani Dey, and Sourabh Kumar Das

Department of Biotechnology, The Assam Kaziranga University, Jorhat, India

E-mail: ruparani@kazirangauniversity.in

Received: 16 March 2025  Accepted: 23 December 2025

Abstract:

In the present work, polyethylene glycol (PEG) supported electrolyte Potassium triiodide (KI₃) has been synthesised. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-visible) spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), powder X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed to understand the bonding between polymer and electrolyte. The SEM images show the capturing of small K⁺ ion on the PEG surface. Besides, the present study examines the conductivity of polymer gel electrolyte based on PEG. The highest conductivity of the [K(PEG)]⁺(I₃)⁻ complex is found to be 0.74 mS/cm with composition 0.5 wt% at room temperature. The results show that as the temperature increases, the conductivity of the gel electrolyte, [K(PEG)]⁺(I₃)⁻ also enhances. The most suitable results are observed for PEG_4kKI₃ (Polyethyle glycol-4000 entrapped KI₃ complex) in the range of 0.3–0.4 wt%. Nevertheless, ionic activity depends on the polymer electrolyte ratio. The [K(PEG)]⁺(I₃)⁻ complex is found to be active against gram bacteria.

Keywords: PEG; Potassium triiodide; Polymer gel electrolyte; Antibacterial activity; Ionic activity

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-026-04660-5

Chemical Papers 80 (4) 4471–4478 (2026)