Crystal structure and electrical conductivity of {(ZrO2)0.92(Y2O3)0.08}1-x(CuO)x (x=0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3)

Abstract {(ZrO2)0.92(Y2O3)0.08}1-x(CuO)x (ZYC) synthesized by the co-precipitation method with different stoichiometry (x=0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) are evaluated through thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and electrical conductivity using an electrochemical workstation and the effects of CuO doping content on the above properties are researched, respectively. The results are discussed in terms of the potential as diffusion barrier material to be applied in diffusion barrier limiting current oxygen sensors application at temperatures from 500 to 850 °C. Results derived from TG-DSC shows that the weight loss of the sample is mainly due to the decomposition of the precursor, forming ZYC above ~600 °C. XRD analysis shows that the ZYC sample is a cubic phase and the CuO doping is benefit to the crystallinity of ZYC. The electrical conductivity results indicate that the total conductivity decreases for ZYC1 but then increases with the increase of CuO doping content and reaches the maximum total conductivity of 2.02 × 10−1 S cm−1 at 850 °C and the activation energy (Ea) is 0.93 eV for ZYC3.