No abstract

This study describes the successful sintering of Pr6O11, which has recently been developed as a promising oxygen electrode for solid oxide cells (SOCs). Using dense pellets or thin films is mandatory prior to an accurate measurement of the ionic transport properties via the isotopic oxyen exchange method here involved. Dilatometry experiments performed under different atmospheres (argon, air, and oxygen) and sintering tests with different thermal cycles overcame the detrimental phase changes of Pr6O11 and densifies this oxide with a sintered relative density of 95%. Dense pellets of large sizes were prepared. In a second part, the ionic transport properties of Pr6O11 have been determined in the range 400 < T°C < 800 thanks to isotopic exchange depth profiling measurements.

A thermal sensor was used to better understand parameters which influenced the interaction between a laser beam and a 0.5% Mn-doped ZnAl2.2O4 material, especially the laser defocusing parameter. The optical properties of the material depend on whether the Mn2+ ions occupy octahedral and/or tetrahedral sites depending on thermal history. A screen printing process is performed to obtain material thin films. Laser irradiation of the films was carried out (patterning 1 cm length single laser track) with different z defocusing heights. Luminescence properties around laser tracks led to the thermal history determination at the micrometer scale. It was shown that spatial thermal gradients defined at the micrometer scale perpendicularly to the borders of the laser tracks could be semiquantified for different z conditions. Laser defocusing leads to decrease thermal gradients as confirmed by thermal modeling studies.