Spark plasma sintering of nanopowders in the CeO2-Y2O3 system as a promising approach to the creation of nanocrystalline intermediate-temperature solid electrolytes

Abstract Using (СeO2)1-x(Y2O3)x (x = 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20) nanopowders obtained by co-precipitation of metal hydroxides with elements of cryotechnology, and consolidated using the SPS method, intermediate-temperature solid electrolytes with an appropriate composition were obtained; (the average size of CSR was 48–62 nm, ρrel – 83–93%). The dependence of the phase composition, microstructure and electrotransport properties of the samples obtained on Y2O3 content and consolidation conditions was established. It was shown that the solid solution (CeO2)0.90(Y2O3)0.10 had the highest ionic conductivity, at 550 °C, in the СeO2–Y2O3 system. It was established that SPS is a more efficient method of obtaining nanocrystalline solid electrolytes for IT-SOFCs, in comparison with conventional approaches.