CHARACTERIZATION OF BISMUTH LEAD-OXIDE BY VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY

Bismuth lead oxide is a promising fast-ion conductor, with an oxygen i on conductivity in excess of 1 S cm(-1) at 590 degrees C. The characte rization of the system (Bi2O3)(1-x) (PbO)(x) has previously been inves tigated using powder X-ray diffractometry; however, a detailed study u sing vibrational spectroscopy has not been carried out. This work exam ines the phases present between x = 0 and 1 using both infrared and Ra man spectroscopy. Detailed spectra of the phases are included, as well as an analysis of those phases. In general, the phases are reasonably consistent with previously published data; however, certain aspects d iffer. gamma-Bi12PbO19, for example, was found to be a solid solution stable over a wide range of PbO, rather than a single phase as previou sly published. A summary of the room-temperature phases, after having been quenched from specific temperatures, is included in the form of a proposed phase diagram.