Thermal and physical properties of 30SrO–40SiO2–20B2O3–10A2O3 (A = La, Y, Al) glasses and their chemical reaction with bismuth vanadate for SOFC

SiO2–B2O3–SrO–A2O3 (A = Y, La, Al) based glasses were investigated for their physical and thermal properties by density measurements and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The crystallization activation energies were determined by using variable heating rates in DTA. The chemical interaction studies of these glasses with Bi4V1.8Al0.2O11 electrolyte were also performed at 800 °C for different heat treatment durations. During chemical interaction in all the samples SrVSi2O7 phase has formed. However, its volume fraction depends on the chemical nature of the modifiers used in glass and duration of heat treatment. Apart from SrVSi2O7 phase, AVO4 and A2SiO5 (A = Y, La, Al, Bi) phases are also present in the glass electrolyte interaction product mass. The formed phases were identified using X-ray diffraction. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has been done to identify the functional group and modification in bond structure and functional group with respect to the heat treatment duration in these samples. The results have been discussed on the basis of field strength of various cations and activation energy of crystallization.