Impact of Preparation Method and Y2O3 Content on the Properties of the YSZ Electrolyte

Abstract

This study is an effort to cover and interconnect multiple aspects of the fabrication of the yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) from powder preparation to a solid electrolyte suitable for utilization in solid oxide cells. Thus, a series of YSZ electrolytes was prepared, differing in the content of the Y2O3 dopant and in the method of preparation. Combustion synthesis along with the thermal decomposition of precursors was used for YSZ powder synthesis with a dopant content of 8 to 18 mol.%. Post-synthesis treatment of the powder was necessary for achieving satisfactory quality of the subsequent sintering step. The morphology analyses of the YSZ powders and sintered electrolytes produced proved that small particles with a uniform size distribution are essential for obtaining a dense electrolyte. Furthermore, the conductivity of YSZ electrolytes with different Y2O3 contents was examined in the temperature range of 400 to 800 °C. The lowest conductivity was found for the sample with the highest Y2O3 content. The obtained results enable the preparation methods, YSZ powder morphology, and composition to be connected to the mechanical and electrochemical properties of the YSZ electrolyte. Thus, this study links every step of YSZ electrolyte fabrication, which has not been sufficiently clearly described until now.

The Impact of Sintering Conditions on the Inner Microstructure of Composites: LSM:YSZ Electrode Case Study

“…This is explained by the presence of YSZ in the electrode's volume. It is reasonable to assume that YSZ remains unaffected by heat treatment significantly below 1450 °C, as the common sintering temperature for fabricating fully solidified YSZ layers is considered above 1360 °C (11). Therefore, the YSZ particles functioned as a static framework, and they were 'coated' by semi-melted LSM particles.…”

“…Such inhibition of densification indicates possible issues with the percolation of the individual sample constituents. Particularly, within this composite the percolation threshold of LSM is required as this phase is a significantly more conductive compared to YSZ (11,16). Therefore, a unique sintering temperature needs to be found for each individual composition to obtain an optimal microstructure with desired properties.…”

Simple Preparation of Yttria‐Stabilized Zirconia Powders by Plasma Discharge Electrolysis in Nitrate Solution

“…[12][13][14] Therefore, YSZ has a wide range of applications in modern industry. It can be used as an electrode and high-temperature electrolyte in batteries, [15][16][17] used for manufacturing thermal barrier coatings [18,19] and applied to ceramics in the fields of dentistry and orthopedics. [20,21] Currently, many methods are used to synthesize YSZ powders, such as emulsion, [22] sol-gel, [23][24][25] spray pyrolysis and drying, [26,27] coprecipitation, [28] and hydrothermal [29] methods.…”

New Strategy for Preparation of Yttria Powders with Atypical Morphologies and Their Sintering Behavior

“…In recent years, electric current pulse technology has been widely used for material preparation, especially to control the microstructure and refine the particle size of metal materials during solidification [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Crystallinity and particle size are important factors affecting the properties of powders, especially their sintering properties [ 18 , 19 ].…”