Studies on cermet behavior of Ni doped YSZ

A simple and cost effective combustion process is employed to prepare Ni/YSZ cermet from an aqueous solution containing ZrO(NO3)2·6H2O, Y(NO3)3·6H2O, Ni(NO3)2·6H2O and urea followed by H2 reduction. As prepared cermet was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman spectroscopy techniques. Processed powder of NiO-YSZ was found to be in crystalline form with homogeneous mixture of YSZ and NiO phases. On reduction, its mixed conductivity is suppressed partially. The impedance and dielectric properties of the cermet were studied over a frequency range 10 Hz to 2 MHz at different temperatures. M ̴ H behavior at different temperature (down to 5 K) including ZFC and FC at 500 Oe were studied. To understand and corroborate the conductivity behavior and mechanism involved with the magnetic Ni ion mediated YSZ cermet, we have also studied the electric field induced polarization behavior and predict that Ni magnetic ion has specific role towards the contribution of conductivity mechanism generally included in Ni/YSZ cermet used for SOFC applications.