Structural and electrical characterisation of SrCe_1-xY_xO_xi

The acceptor-doped perovskite proton conductor SrCe1-xYxOxi (x = 0.025 to 0.20, xi = 3 - x/2) has been prepared and characterised using X-ray diffraction and AC impedance spectroscopy, and the effect of the yttrium dopant concentration on structure and electrical properties has been investigated. X-ray diffraction studies show a decrease in lattice volume with increasing yttrium content. Electrical conductivity studies have been made as a function of oxygen partial pressure, and at a partial pressure of water vapour of 0.007 atm. The total conductivity has been separated into different components by fitting procedures and regions of ionic and p-type conduction have been identified. At 800 degrees C and at the water vapour partial pressure of 0.007 atm, the ionic conductivity showed a maximum at a doping level of x = 0.10, reaching a value of 5 mS/cm. The conductivity component appearing at low oxygen partial pressure, which according to recent studies may be regarded as protonic rather than n-type, decreased with doping, while the p-type component at high oxygen partial pressure increased. The relationship between the effect of doping on the conductivity and unit cell volume is discussed, (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.