Effect of ceria on the properties of yttria-stabilized zirconia-based electrolytic membranes

(ZrO2)(1 - x -) (y)(Y2O3)(x)(CeO2)(y) (x = 0.08-0.10; y = 0.0-0.01) solid solution crystals were grown by skull melting technique. The effects of CeO2 addition on the crystal structure and high-temperature conductivity of the crystals have been investigated. According to X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy, it was found that Ce cations in crystals are present mainly as Ce4+ ions. The study of the grown crystals by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy showed that all the grown crystals were single-phase and had either a tetragonal t`` or cubic structure, the latter having crystals containing 10 mol% Y2O3 and doped with CeO2. Doping of the crystals with CeO2 was accompanied by a linear increase in the lattice parameter. This indicates the entry of CeO2 into the crystal lattice with the formation of a solid solution. The study of the ionic conductivity of crystals by impedance spectroscopy in the temperature range 400-900 degrees C showed that the substitution of Zr4+ ions with Ce4+ ions manifests itself in different ways and can either increase or decrease the value of high-temperature conductivity depending on the content of stabilizing yttrium oxide. Possible reasons for this behavior are discussed.

Automated summary

(ZrO2)(1 - x -) (y)(Y2O3)(x)(CeO2)(y) solid solution crystals were grown by skull melting technique. The effects of CeO2 addition on the crystal structure and high-temperature conductivity of the crystals were investigated. Ce cations in crystals were mainly Ce4+ ions according to X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy. The grown crystals were single-phase and had either a tetragonal or cubic structure, with the latter containing 10 mol% Y2O3 and doped with CeO2. Doping with CeO2 resulted in a linear increase in lattice parameter, indicating the formation of a solid solution.