Influence of rare-earth doping on the microstructure and conductivity of BaCe0.9Ln0.1O3−δ proton conductors

Doped barium cerates BaCe0.9Ln0.1O3−δ containing earth-rare dopants with different ionic radii, Ln = La, Nd, Sm, Gd, Yb, Tb and Y, have been investigated as candidate materials for fuel cells and other electrochemical applications. The synthesis of these materials was performed using a precursor method based on freeze-drying, which allows a precise control of the homogeneity of the ceramic powders. Dense ceramic pellets were obtained at 1400 °C under identical sintering conditions. The microstructure of the ceramics exhibits similar features with relative density higher than 95% and the grain size decreasing as the ionic radius of the dopant decreases. Impedance spectroscopy measurements were performed to study separately the different contributions to the total conductivity. The bulk, grain boundary and total conductivities depend on the ionic radius of the dopant, reaching a maximum for Gd-doped samples with a value of 0.02 S cm−1 for the total conductivity at 600 °C.

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