On the hydration of grain boundaries and bulk of proton conducting BaZr0.7Pr0.2Y0.1O3-δ

We report here for the first time bulk and grain boundary conductivities from impedance spectra of a ceramic proton conductor (BaZr0.7Pr0.2Y0.1O3-δ) taken during hydration and H/D isotope exchange transients (at 400 °C). The results suggest that water moves quickly along grain boundary cores, and then interact from there with the space charge layers and, in turn, grain interiors. Hydration and H/D isotope exchange have simple monotonic effects on the bulk conductivity in line with what is expected from it being dominated by protons. The transients for grain boundary conductivity exhibit however hysteresis: During hydration, the core charge and grain boundary resistance appear to go through transient minima related to non-equilibrium distributions of defects between the core and grain interior – notably because protons diffuse faster than oxygen vacancies between the grain boundary and grain interior. At equilibrium, hydration increases the core charge and the depletion of positive charge carriers in the space charge layers. During H/D isotope exchange relatively fast hysteretic transients indicate that the space charge layers experience changes in charge carrier (D+ vs. H+) mobility as well as in D2O vs. H2O hydration thermodynamics.

► Impedance spectra of proton conductor during hydration and H/D isotope exchange. ► Fast water transport along grain boundary (gb). ► At equilibrium, hydration increases gb core charge and depletion of protons in gb’s. ► Intermittent transients in core and space charge during hydration.