Influence of the chemical composition on structural properties and electrical conductivity of Y-Ce-ZrO2

The influence of the chemical composition on structural properties and electrical conductivity of solid solutions based on the system Y-Ce-ZrO2 obtained by the hydroxide precipitation method is investigated. The samples are studied by combining impedance spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy measurements so as to determine the effect of the phase composition on both the microstructure and the electrophysical properties of the ceramics. The oxygen partial pressures, at which p-type or n-type electronic conductivity appears predominantly, are determined for these ceramics in the temperature range from 920 to 1020 K. Therefore, the oxygen activity domain into which the ceramic samples are predominantly ionic conductors is found as a function of temperature for different chemical compositions of the Ce and Y substituted zirconium oxide.