Properties and morphology of highly conducting inorganic solid–liquid composites based on AgCl

Composites of a Frenkel disordered solid (AgCl) with Schottky disordered solids (KCl, RbCl and CsCl) have been prepared and characterised. Unlike two-phase mixtures of two Frenkel disordered solids, no significant conductivity enhancement has been observed in any of these composites studied. This is in full accordance with the two-phase model. The composites show interesting morphological behaviour. The eutectic composition (0.7AgCl/0.3KCl) of the composites exhibits a lamellar structure, which leads to a highly porous weblike AgCl network after removal of KCl from this structure by aqueous dissolution (normal and under ultrasonication). In addition to its possible use as NH3 sensor material, it offers a solid framework in which liquid electrolytes such as AgNO3 (aq) can be inserted. These inorganic solid–liquid composites show very favourable properties, in that they combine liquid-like ionic conductivities with the mechanical advantages of a soft solid.