Effects of sintering atmospheres on sintering behavior, electrical conductivity and oxygen permeability of mixed-conducting membranes

Effects of sintering atmospheres on properties of SrCo0.4Fe0.5Zr0.1O3-delta mixed-conducting membranes were in detail studied in terms of sintering behavior, electrical conductivity and oxygen permeability. The sintering atmospheres were 100% N-2, 79% N-2-21% O-2, 60% N-2-40% O-2, 40% N-2-60% O-2, 20% N-2-80% O-2 and 100% O-2 (in vol.%), and the prepared membranes were correspondingly denoted as S-0, S-21, S-40, S-60, S-80 and S-100, respectively. It was found that the properties of membranes were strongly dependent on the sintering atmosphere. As the oxygen partial pressure in the sintering atmosphere (Po-2) increased, sintering ability, electrical conductivity and oxygen permeability decreased at first, which was in the order of S-0>S-21>S-40. However, as Po-2 increased further, sintering ability, electrical conductivity and oxygen permeability increased gradually: S-40<S-60<S-80<S-100. And the S-100 membrane had the best sintering ability, electrical conductivity and oxygen permeability in all membranes. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.