In
this paper, the effects of crystallization advance on the material
structure and electrical properties of lithium-ion Na+ super
ionic conductor (NASICON) glass ceramics were investigated. Glasses
with Li1.5Al0.5Ge1.5(PO4)3 and Li1.5Sc0.17Al0.33Ge1.5(PO4)3 compositions were crystallized
in controlled conditions to obtain gradual increment of the volume
crystallized fraction. The glass-to-crystal transformation was then
monitored by differential scanning calorimetry analysis (DSC), X-ray
diffractometry (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, solid-state nuclear magnetic
resonance spectroscopy (MAS NMR), and electron microscopy, along with
chemical analyses. Finally, the electrical properties of the specimens
were evaluated by impedance spectroscopy to observe the changes in
electrical properties according to the crystallization advance. Results
revealed that glasses containing scandium are more stable against
crystallization than their neat counterparts. Crystallization led
to the formation of single-phase NASICON glass ceramics. Scandium
induced a lattice expansion of the NASICON structure. Furthermore,
crystallization induces remarkable structural changes in the materials
as a whole, either in local order or in medium to long order. No important
increase in conductivity was observed in earlier stages of crystallization.
After the percolation of crystals, conductivity increases sharply
and the remaining glassy phase has little impact on the total conductivity
of the material. Scandium expands the rhombohedral structure but increases
the glass stability and reduces the sizes of crystals for the fully
crystallized glass ceramics. Glass ceramics with larger grains are
more propitious for conductivity than the more refined ones. Therefore,
this paper offers key information about the understanding of NASICON
crystallization and its structural evolution, providing important
insights into the crystallization of these electrolytes.