Ceria based mixed conductors with adjusted electronic conductivity in the bulk and/or along grain boundaries

authors	Fagg, DP; Perez-Coll, D; Nunez, P; Frade, JR; Shaula, AL; Yaremchenko, AA; Kharton, VV
nationality	International
journal	SOLID STATE IONICS
author keywords	Mixed conductors; Ceria; Fluorite; Transport number; Grain boundaries; Sintering additive
keywords	OXYGEN PERMEABILITY; PEROVSKITE MEMBRANES; THERMAL-EXPANSION; SINTERING AIDS; TRANSPORT
abstract	Ceramic samples of Ce(1-x)Pr(x)O(2-delta) (CPO) and Ce(1-x)Gd(x)O(2-delta) (CGO) were obtained by different sintering schedules, including the use of cobalt as a sintering aid, added by mixing the precursor powders with cobalt nitrate solution; this allowed one to obtain different microstructural features and to change the transport properties, with emphasis on changes in grain boundary behaviour. Cobalt plays a double effect as sintering aid and also to induce important changes of grain boundary properties. Specific changes of grain boundary properties were ascribed by de-convolution of impedance spectra. Relatively high levels of mixed conductivity could be attained by adding a lanthanide species to yield ionic transport, whereas electronic conduction was promoted by the mixed valence character of PrO(x), combined with the additional contribution of Co-rich grain boundaries. These effects can be used to tune preferential electronic conductivity at bulk or grain boundary level. Oxygen permeability and a modified e.m.f. method were used to obtain the overall ionic transport number under oxidising conditions and its dependence on processing conditions. Additions of PrO(x) induce bulk electronic conduction which assumes a greater role at lower temperatures. Further enhancement of electronic conductivity is attained by effects of Co-addition. Though Co-rich grain boundaries also yield significant levels of electronic conductivity in CGO. this contribution becomes minor at intermediate temperatures, due to differences between the activation energies for electronic and ionic conduction. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved,
publisher	ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
issn	0167-2738
year published	2009
volume	180
issue	11-13
beginning page	896
ending page	899
digital object identifier (doi)	10.1016/j.ssi.2009.02.024
web of science category	Chemistry, Physical; Physics, Condensed Matter
subject category	Chemistry; Physics
unique article identifier	WOS:000267673800027