Electrical conductivity of Nd and Ce co-doped Gd₂Zr₂O₇ ceramics

Abstract

In this study, (Gd_{1− x} Nd _x )₂(Zr_{1− x} Ce _x )₂O₇ (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.5) ceramics have been prepared by pressureless sintering at 1973 K to investigate the influence of Nd and Ce co-doping on their electrical conductivity. The electrical conductivity of the ceramics was investigated by impedance spectroscopy measurements from 723 to 1173 K over the frequency range of 20 Hz to 2 MHz in air. The measured values obey the Arrhenius relation. For each composition, the grain conductivity gradually increases with increasing temperature from 723 to 1173 K. At a given temperature, it gradually decreases with increasing neodymium and cerium contents from x = 0 to 0.3; thereafter, the grain conductivity exhibits a slight increase with further increasing neodymium and cerium contents up to x = 0.5.

Keywords:

• (Gd_{1− x} Nd _x )₂(Zr_{1− x} Ce _x )₂O₇
• impedance spectroscopy
• electrical conductivity
• ceramics

Acknowledgement

The authors thank the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC-no. 50972030).