Electric field-assisted sintering (gadolinia-doped ceria/alkali salts) composite membranes

Abstract

Composite ceramic membranes were prepared according to two routes: (i) vacuum impregnation of molten eutec- tic sodium-lithium carbonates (NLC) into porous ceria-20 mol% gadolinia (20GDC) solid electrolytes; (ii) electric field-assisted sintering of a 25 wt% NLC/75 wt% 20GDC mixture. Porous 20GDC ceramics were obtained by controlled thermal removal of 40 vol% KCl added as pore former. Electric field-assisted (flash) sintering was car- ried out monitoring thickness during application of 200 V cm − 1 to the specimen positioned in a sample chamber inserted in a vertical dilatometer. The surfaces of the sintered membranes were observed in a scanning electron microscope. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements were performed in the 5 Hz to 13 MHz fre- quency range in the 280–580°C range. Arrhenius plots showed the transition from oxide ion conduction (due to the solid electrolyte) to carbonate ion conduction (due to the molten NLC). Membranes flash sintered at 420°C in 2 min showed electrical conductivity similar to membranes conventionally sintered at 690°C for 2 h.