Structural and Electrical Properties of Cerium Oxides Doped by Sb3+ and Bi3+ Cations

• Published in: Journal of electronic materials Vol. 49; no. 8; pp. 4936 - 4944
• Main Authors: Sandhya, K., Chitra Priya, N. S., Rajendran, Deepthi N., Thappily, Praveen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.08.2020; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Antimony; Bismuth; Cerium oxides; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Dopants; Electrical properties; Electrical resistivity; Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy; Electrolytes; Electron microscopy; Electronics and Microelectronics; Emission analysis; Field emission microscopy; Fluorite; Instrumentation; Ion currents; Lattice vacancies; Materials Science; Melting points; Microscopy; Optical and Electronic Materials; Oxygen ions; Raman spectroscopy; Samarium; Solid State Physics; Spectrum analysis; Trivalent ions; ionic radius; coprecipitation method; Electrolyte; electrical properties
• ISSN: 0361-5235; 1543-186X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11664-020-08220-9

The addition of low melting point trivalent ions in ceria-based electrolyte systems results in a new composite with better oxygen ion conduction at reduced temperature. The present work discusses the synthesis and characterization of co-doped ceramic electrolyte Ce 0.8 Sm 0.1 M 0.1 O 2−δ (M = Bi, Sb) prepared by coprecipitation. This study mainly focuses on the effect of the ionic radius of the dopants on the structural and electrical properties of doped ceria. The structural studies of the samples by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy show nanosized particles with a cubic fluorite structure. Raman spectroscopy confirmed the presence of O 2− vacancies introduced into the lattice due to the substitution of a large ionic radius of Bi 3+ for Ce 4+ . The electrical survey by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy suggests that the dopant ionic radius has a significant influence on the ionic conductivity and activation energy of the doped ceria. There is an enhancement in conductivity noted for bismuth-co-doped samarium-doped ceria due to the larger ionic radius of the bismuth dopant compared to antimony-co-doped samarium-doped ceria.