Cobalt oxide co-doping effect on the sinterability and electrical conductivity of nano-crystalline Gd-doped ceria

Nano-crystalline 3 mol% CoO-doped GDC (Ce0.9Gd0.1O1.95) powders of high sinterability at lower sintering temperature have been synthesized by deposition-precipitation method. The physical and chemical properties of the obtained powders were characterized by XRD, XPS, BET, EDS and TEM. From sintering studies, CoO-doped GDC can be fully densified (97% relative density) at a lower temperature of 850 degrees C. It has also been found that the sintered samples have a higher ionic conductivity of 2.38 x 10(-2) S cm(-1) at 600 degrees C in air. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.