Ionic conductivities of Nasicon-type glass-ceramic superionic conductors in the system Na2O–Y2O3–XO2–SiO2 (X = Ti, Ge, Te)

Glass-ceramics of the titanium-, germanium- or tellurium-containing Na5RSi4O12-type (R = rare earth; Y) Na+-superionic conductors (N5YXS) were prepared by crystallization of glasses with the composition Na3+3xY1 − xXySi3 − yO9 (X = Ti; NYTiS, Ge; NYGeS, X = Te; NYTeS), and the effects of X elements on the separation of the phase and the microstructural effects on the conduction properties of glass-ceramics were discussed. The combination of x and y was most varied in N5YGeS and more limited in the order of N5YTeS > N5YTiS. Their conductivities and activation energies are of the order of 10− 2 S/cm at 300 °C and of 15 to 24 kJ/mol, respectively. The conductivity of the glass-ceramic N5YXS decreases giving the order N5YGeS > N5YTeS > N5YTiS. It is considered that this order corresponds to the N5 single phase region. Large enhancement of electrical conductivity was observed in the glass-ceramics as the grain growth was promoted with increase of heating temperature and heating time for crystallization.