Sintering behavior and electrical property of La0.7Ca0.33CrO3 prepared by Doctor Blade method

The La0.7Ca0.33CrO3 separator films were prepared under various sintering conditions. Their bending strength, relative density, electrical conductivity and sintering behavior were investigated by 4-point bending apparatus, XRD, four terminal method and SEM/EDX, respectively. The bending strength of La0.7Ca0.33CrO3 at room temperature increased with increasing sintering temperature and time. The relative density of more than 94% was obtained by sintering at 1673 K for 5 h. Thus the present investigation reveals that sintering of La0.7Ca0.33CrO3 at low temperatures is greatly assisted by formation of Ca-m(CrO4)(n). Ca-m(CrO4)(n) incongruently melts and reacts with La1-xCaxCrO3-delta, which enhances mass transport and results in rapid grain growth and densification of the films. Also the electrical conductivity at 1273 K was more than 100 S/cm after heating at 1673 K for 7 h.