Characterisation of (CeO2)0.8(GdO1.5)0.2 synthesised using various techniques

The physical and electrical properties of (CeO2)(0.8)(GdO1.5)(0.2) have been examined using powders prepared from a number of different synthesis routes. Powders were synthesised using a modified co-precipitation reaction, a solid state reaction, and a commercial powder from a hydrothermal synthesis route. The powders synthesised via the solid state route showed very inferior results, even after sintering at 1650 degrees C. The co-precipitated synthesised powder, and the commercial powder, produced dense ceramics at 1650 degrees C; in fact, the commercial powder produced a dense ceramic when sintered at only 1400 degrees C, The ionic conductivity varied between 4.5 x 10(-2) S/cm at 800 degrees C for the solid state prepared powder, to 3.2 x 10(-1) S/cm at 800 degrees C for the co-precipitated synthesised powder. The effect of sintering temperature was also examined. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.