Effect of cation disorder on the solubility and result of doping in oxides

The quest for novel solid electrolytes and mixed ionic electronic conductors is leading us to attempt aliovalent cation substitution of new classes of oxides, but in a number of cases such doping gives no or unexpected effects. A general feature of many such systems is that they are ternary or higher oxides in which two cations of different valence are site disordered, facilitated by similar size. Examples comprise TiNb2O7, TiP2O7, ZrP2O7 and Ba3La(PO4)3. Doping intended to create charge compensating mobile point defects may in these cases result only in shifting the ratio of the two disordered cations, as this may have a much lower energy cost. This is accompanied by the precipitation of a phase or domains rich in the expelled cation. Entropy and Gibbs energy changes by doping are calculated and compared for cation disordered and non-disordered systems for illustration.

► Failure to affect properties by doping often attributable to cation disorder.
► Cation anti-site defects offer low energy alternative to mobile defects.
► Cation disorder reduces entropy and thus solubility of dopant.
► Principles useful in screening novel ionic conductor candidates.