Conductivity and structure features of Ce1−xGdxO2−δ solid electrolytes fabricated by compaction and sintering of weakly agglomerated nanopowders

The conductivity and structure features of Ce1−xGdxO2−δ ceramics prepared using weakly agglomerated nanopowders with the average particle size of about of 15 nm are discussed. The powders were synthesized by the evaporation of coarse-grained target with the use of pulsed CO2-laser radiation. The magnetic pulsed compaction method was applied to press a dry nanopowder to densities up to 55% of theoretical one. Owing to high activity of the starting powder and uniformity of the compacts, the sintering of ceramics up to near full density was realized in non-conventionally low temperature range of 1100–1300 °C. The structure of sintered ceramics with average grain sizes from the range of 100–300 nm was investigated by X-ray analysis and microscopy methods (AFM, SEM). The structure features are discussed in interrelation with the data on conductivity of ceramics. The significant deviation in lattice parameter of elementary cubic cell for sintered fine-grained ceramics as compared with the known data for conventional coarse-grained material was revealed.