Oxygen Permeability of Ce[sub 0.8]Gd[sub 0.2]O[sub 2−δ]-La[sub 0.7]Sr[sub 0.3]MnO[sub 3−δ] Composite Membranes

(CGO) and (LSM) possess similar thermal expansion coefficients and were thus combined in dual‐phase membranes for oxygen separation. Studies of oxygen permeation through CGO‐LSM composite ceramics, containing similar volume fractions of the phases, showed that the oxygen transfer is limited by the bulk ionic conductivity. The oxygen conduction in the composites depends strongly on processing conditions, decreasing with interdiffusion of the phase components. Blocking oxygen ionic conduction is assumed to be due to formation of layers with low ionic conductivity at the CGO grain boundaries, caused by diffusion of lanthanum and strontium into CGO. The permeation fluxes through CGO‐LSM membranes at high feed‐side oxygen pressures (1–50 atm) exhibit Wagner‐type behavior and exceed significantly the oxygen permeability at lower oxygen pressures. © 2000 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.