Electrical properties of gadolinia-doped ceria for electrodes for magnetohydrodynamic energy systems

High temperature conducting ceramics are of current interest for use as electrode materials for magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power generation systems for their high conductivity values and their excellent stability under extreme conditions including operating temperatures above 2000 °C. Ceria doped with Gd (GDC) has been extensively studied for intermediate temperature applications and shows promise as an efficient electrode material. A summary of the current understanding of the electrical properties of GDC is provided with an emphasis on the higher temperature limits. Experiments to further validate the conclusions drawn in the literature review confirm that with electrical conductivities near 10 S/m at 1100 °C make GDC a good candidate electrode material for an MHD power generator.