Microstructure and electrical properties of nano-sized Ce1-xGdxO2 (0 <= x <= 0.2) particles prepared by spray pyrolysis

Abstract

Nano-sized Ce1-xGdxO2 (0 <= x <= 0.2) particles were prepared by spray pyrolysis process front the spray solution with ethylene glycol. The mean sizes of Ce1-xGdxO2 (X = 0, 0-05, 0.1, 0.2) particles were each 46, 33, 29, and 28 nm. The mean crystallite size of pure CeO2 was 33 nm. However, the Gd-doped CeO2 had the mean crystallite size of 28 nm irrespective of the molar ratio of Gd to Cc components. The mean grain size of the sintered CeO2 pellet was about two or four times larger than those of the Gd-doped CeO2 pellets. The mean grain sizes of Ce0.9Gd0.1O2 and Ce0.8Gd0.2O2 pellets are about 0.5-0.4 mu m. The pure CeO2 pellet had low relative density of 80%. However, Ce0.9Gd0.1O2 and Ce0.8Gd0.2O2 pellets had the high relative densities above 95%. The Ce0.9Gd0.1O2 and Ce0.8Gd0.2O2 pellets had similar conductivities at all measuring temperatures. The Ce0.9Gd0.1O2 pellet had conductivities of 4.73 x 10(-2) and 1.16 x 10(-1) Scm(-1) at measuring temperatures of 800 and 900 degrees C respectively. (c) 2008 The Ceramic Society of Japan. All rights reserved.