Microwave Sintering of Gd-Doped CeO2 Powder

10 mol% Gd2O3-CeO2 powder was sintered by microwave in a 2.45 GHz multimode cavity to develop a dense electrolyte layer for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). Samples were sintered from 1100 degrees C upto 1500 degrees C by 50 degrees C difference and kept for 10 min and 30 min at the maximum temperature respectively. Theoretical density of the sample sintered at 1200 degrees C for 10 min was 95.4% and increased gradually upto 99% in the sample sintered at 1500 degrees C for 30 min. All of sintered samples showed very fine microstructures and the maximum average grain size of the sintered sample at 1500 degrees C for 30 min was (0.87 +/- 0.42) mu m. Ionic conductivity of the samples were measured by DC 4 probe method.