Abstract
The effect of CuO, ZnO, and CuO+ZnO sintering aids added to BaZr0.8Y0.2O3−δ was investigated on phase formation, microstructure, and proton conductivity with the use of the X-ray diffraction technique, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, respectively. The BaZr0.8Y0.2O3−δ pellet samples were prepared by the solid-state reaction method and sintered at 1400 °C for 10 h. The presence of a secondary phase was not detected by XRD in samples with sintering aids. The relative density of the samples without a sintering aid was 68%, while all samples with sintering achieved over 95%. SEM images revealed how the different types of sintering aids lead to the alteration of grain size, microstructure, and proton conductivity. Grain boundary conductivities were observed to improve with the addition of CuO+ZnO promoting abnormal grains such as plate-like grains and large equiaxed grains.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Iwahara, H., Esaka, T., Uchida, H., Maeda, N.: Proton conduction in sintered oxides and its application to steam electrolysis for hydrogen production. Solid State Ionics. 3–4, 359–363 (1981)
Kreuer, K.D., Adams, S., Munch, W., Fuchs, A., Klock, U., Maier, J.: Proton conducting alkaline earth zirconates and titanates for high drain electrochemical applications. Solid State Ionics. 145, 295–306 (2001)
Iguchi, F., Sata, N., Tsurui, T., Yugami, H.: Microstructures and grain boundary conductivity of BaZr1−xYxO3. Solid State Ionics. 178, 691–695 (2007)
Iguchi, F., Tsurui, T., Sata, N., Nagao, Y., Yugami, H.: The relationship between chemical composition distributions and specific grain boundary conductivity in Y-doped BaZrO3 proton conductors. Solid State Ionics. 180, 563–568 (2009)
Peng, C., Melnik, J., Luo, J., Sanger, A.R., Chuang, K.T.: BaZr0.8Y0.2O3−δ electrolyte with and without ZnO sintering aid: preparation and characterization. Solid State Ionics. 181, 1372–1377 (2010)
Gao, D., Guo, R.: Structural and electrochemical properties of yttrium-doped barium zirconate by addition of CuO. J. Alloys Compd. 493, 288–293 (2010)
Yang, H., Qin, X., Zhang, J., Ma, J., Tang, D., Wang, S., Zhang, Q.: The effect of MgO and SiO2 codoping on the properties of Nd: YAG transparent ceramic. Opt. Mater. 34, 940–943 (2011)
Li, Y., Zhou, S., Lin, H., Hou, X., Li, W., Teng, H., Jia, T.: Fabrication of Nd: YAG transparent ceramics with TEOS, MgO and compound additives as sintering aids. J. Alloys Compd. 502, 225–230 (2010)
Tao, S., Irvine, J.: Conductivity studies of dense yttrium-doped BaZrO3 sintered at 1325 °C. J. Solid State Chem. 180, 3493–3503 (2007)
Pornprasertsuk, R., Kosasang, O., Somroop, K., Horprathum, M., Limnonthakul, P., Chindaudom, P., Jinawath, S.: Proton conductivity of Y-doped BaZrO3: pellets and thin films. Solid State Sci. 13, 1429–1437 (2011)
Fabbri, E., Pergolesi, D., Licoccia, S., Traversa, E.: Does the increase in Y-dopant concentration improve the proton conductivity of BaZr1−xYxO3−δ fuel cell electrolytes? Solid State Ionics. 181, 1043–1051 (2010)
Fisher, J., Kim, D., Lee, S., Nguyen, D., Lee, J.: Reactive sintering of BaY0.1Zr0.9O3-δ proton conducting ceramics with CuO liquid phase sintering aid. J. Ceram. Process. Res. 14, 703–706 (2013)
Zhang, W., Osamura, K., Ochiai, S.: Phase diagram of the BaO-CuO binary system. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 73, 1958–1964 (1990)
Z. Sun, E. Fabbi, L. Bi, E.T.: Lowering grain boundary resistance of improves proton conductivity for fuel cell operation. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 13, 7692–7700 (2011)
Babilo, P., Haile, S.M.: Enhanced sintering of yttrium-doped barium zirconate by. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 88, 2362–2368 (2005)
Song, H., Coble, R.L.: Origin and growth kinetics of platelike abnormal grains in liquid-phase-sintered alumina. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 73, 2077–2085 (1990)
Dillon, S.J., Tang, M., Carter, W.C., Harmer, M.P.: Complexion: a new concept for kinetic engineering in materials science. Acta Mater. 55, 6208–6218 (2007)
Harmer, M.P.: The phase behavior of interfaces. Science. 332(80), 182–183 (2011)
Yamazaki, Y., Hernandez-Sanchez, R., Haile, S.M.: High total proton conductivity in large-grained yttrium-doped barium zirconate. Chem. Mater. 21, 2755–2762 (2009)
Bowman, W.J., Kelly, M.N., Rohrer, G.S., Hernandez, C.A., Crozier, P.A.: Enhanced ionic conductivity in electroceramics by nanoscale enrichment of grain boundaries with high solute concentration. Nanoscale. 9, 17293–17302 (2017)
Babilo, P.: Processing of yttrium-doped barium zirconate for high proton conductivity. J. Mater. Res. 22, 1322–1330 (2007)
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Asst. Prof. Dr. Thanakorn Wasanapiarnpong for supplying the cold isostatic press equipment.
Funding
This work has been financially supported by the MFU research fund (Grant No. 02201A601201), Mae Fah Luang University.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kosasang, O., Jareun, R., Phongsathit, S. et al. Influence of CuO and ZnO additions on grain growth and proton conductivity of Y-doped BaZrO3. J Aust Ceram Soc 56, 441–446 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41779-019-00347-1
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41779-019-00347-1