SAMARIUM-DOPED CERIA/YTTRIA-STABILIZED ZIRCONIA COMPOSITE PREPARED BY SOLID STATE REACTION

A research on the preparation of composite samarium-doped ceria (SDC) with yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) has been conducted at the SDC: YSZ ratio of 0:1; 1:9; 1:1; 9:1 and 1:0. This research aims to investigate the crystal structure and the ionic conductivity of the prepared materials. XRD analysis equipped with Le Bail refinement was used to analyze the crystal structure, space group, cell parameters, and cell volume. Meanwhile, the ionic conductivity was determined by impedance measurement. The result shows that the composites of SDC-YSZ were crystallized in two phases of cubic SDC and cubic YSZ without the presence of secondary phases. It indicates that the mixing and the heating at 1523 K did not change the crystal structure, even though it changed the cell parameters. Composite SDC-YSZ 91 shows a highest ionic conductivity at 873 K without the presence of electrode-bulk interface conductivity. It is a good indication of YSZ role regarding the inhibition of cerium ions auto-reduction.