Abstract
The present paper considers the effect of doping with Ca of the surface layer of yttria-stabilised (10 mol-%Y2O3) zirconia on its reactivity with oxygen and related charge transfer. Work function measurements were applied for in situ monitoring of charge transfer at the biphase oxygen/zirconia interface in the temperature range 973–1173 K. The work function data are considered in terms of the effect of Ca on reactivity between oxygen and zirconia. They indicate that Ca leads to the formation of a surface structure that decreases the surface charge produced by oxygen chemisorption. The observed effect is considered in terms of the impact of Ca on the performance of zirconia in electrochemical devices.