Defect and electrical transport properties of Nb-doped SrTiO3

This study reports the defect and electrical transport properties of Nb-doped SrTiO3. Samples with various A/B-ratios were synthesized by a modified glycine-nitrate combustion process and evaluated as a constituent in a SOFC anode. The phase purity and defect structure of the materials have been analyzed with SEM, XRD, TGA, and XANES. The electrical conductivity of Nb-doped strontium titanate (Sr0.94Ti0.9Nb0.1O3 — sintered in 9% H2/N2 at 1400 °C for 12 h) decreased with increasing temperature and showed a phonon scattering conduction mechanism with σ > 120 S/cm at 1000 °C (in 9% H2/N2). The results were in agreement with the defect chemistry model of donor-doped SrTiO3 where the charge compensation changes from Sr vacancy compensation to the electronic type when samples are sintered in reducing atmosphere. XANES in combination with TGA indicated that Ti is the only species that is reduced to a lower oxidation state (from Ti4+ to Ti3+). The pre-edge fine structure (PEFS) from the XANES results indicated that Nb improved the overlap of the Ti atomic orbitals and thereby provided one more explanation for the positive effect of Nb on the electronic conductivity of Nb-doped SrTiO3.