Ionic conductivity enhancement in Gd2Zr2O7 pyrochlore by Nd doping

The pyrochlore compositions Gd2-yNdyZr2O7 (y = 0.0, 0.1, 0.4, 0.6, 1.0, 1.4, 1.6, and 2.0) were synthesized, and their ionic conductivity was determined (100 Hz-15 MHz, 622-696 K). The direct-current (dc) conductivity (σdc) varies upon Nd substitution at the Gd site, and a peaking effect in σ dc was observed around y = 1.0. This indicates that a significant increased in conductivity can be obtained at moderately high temperatures by suitable doping at the Gd site with isovalent rare-earth ions like Nd. The extent of oxygen ion disorder determined from x-ray diffraction was found to decrease with increasing Nd content. The dc conductivity obeys the Arrhenius relation (σdcT = σ0 exp(-E/kBT). The activation energy E and the preexponential factor σ0, which is a measure of the concentration of the mobile species, increase while going from the ordered Nd2Zr2O7 to the least ordered Gd2Zr2O7. These two processes presumably lead to the peaking of σdc at an intermediate Nd content. Our results also suggest that the cooperative motion of mobile ions does not contribute much to the increase in activation energy in this compound. © 2008 Materials Research Society.