Activation in the initial stage of oxygen permeation in SrCo0.9Ta0.1O3−δ

Mixed conducting perovskite oxide SrCo0.9Ta0.1O3−δ (SCT) is synthesized by solid-state reaction method. The activation in the initial stage of oxygen permeation through the SCT membrane is investigated. The results show that the activation in the initial stage of oxygen permeation has activate-memory, the first activation can only help to reduce active time of the next cycles, but it is helpless to increase the final oxygen permeation flux. XRD characterization shows that the imperfect perovskite phase structure is gradually improved and the crystal lattice has made some self-adjustment under the permeation conditions, therefore, the oxygen permeation flux of SCT disk membrane increases gradually and till it reaches a steady state.