Properties of doped ceria solid electrolytes in reducing atmospheres

In this work we present investigations of stability of rare earth-doped ceria electrolytes in reducing atmosphere. The effect of dopant type and dopant concentration on reducibility was studied on the basis of thermogravimetric and impedance spectroscopy measurements on materials grouped into two series: Ce1-xGdxO2-x/2 (0 <= x <= 0.4) and Ce0.85R0.15O1.925 (R=Y, Nd, Sm, Gd, and Dy). Relationship between an initial vacancy concentration introduced by the amount of dopant and the characteristic temperature of reduction was found. Much less pronounced dependence was observed for different dopants with the same concentration, which indicates that it is the dopant and vacancy concentration and not the dopant type, which is responsible for reducibility of ceria electrolytes. Impedance spectroscopy measurements allowed for calculation of changes of oxygen ions transport number during the reduction process. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.