Electrical properties of pure and Sr-doped Bi2Al4O9 ceramics

A novel type of bismuth oxide (Bi2O3)-based ceramic conductor, Bi2−xSrxAl4O9−δ (x=0 to 0.4), was synthesized using a glycine-nitrate process. After calcining at 750 °C for 2 h, the as-prepared powders are crystallized into orthorhombic phases determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. AC impedance measurements showed that the total electrical conductivity reaches the maximum value when x is 0.2. The conductivity of Bi1.8Sr0.2Al4O9−δ is ca. 0.08 and 0.28 S/cm at 700 and 800 °C, respectively, which indicates this kind of ceramics conductors has great potential application to the devices of solid state ionics.