Ion conductivity and optical properties were investigated for polymer electrolytes based on poly (ethyleneimine) and lithium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide and also containing up to 9 wt.% of 7-nm-diameter SiO2 nanoparticles. The [N]:[Li] molar ratio was kept constant at 50:1. Impedance measurements were performed in the frequency range 10(-2)-10(7) Hz and between the temperatures 20 and 70 degrees C with an applied ac voltage of 1 V. Spectrophotometric data of total and diffuse transmittance were taken between the wavelengths 300 and 2500 nm. The bulk impedance was fitted to a conductive Havriliak-Negami circuit model. The ion conductivity increased monotonically for increasing SiO2 contents: specifically its room temperature value went from 8.5 x 10(-7) S/cm without nanoparticles to 3.8 x 10(-5) S/cm for 8 wt.% of SiO2 while the diffuse transmittance remained at similar to 1% so that optical clarity prevailed. (C) 2011 Elsevier BM. All rights reserved.