CERIA-YTTRIA-STABILIZED ZIRCONIA COMPOSITE CERAMIC SYSTEMS FOR APPLICATIONS AS LOW-TEMPERATURE ELECTROLYTES

Ceramic samples of Ce1-xGdxO2-y and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) w ere prepared using solid-state methods. Polished faces of disks of the se materials were held in intimate contact in a reaction cell at tempe ratures ranging from 1000 degrees to 1300 degrees C for durations up t o 72 h. XRD, SEM, and microprobe Raman techniques were used to analyze the resulting reactions and ion diffusion. No reaction was observed a t 1000 degrees C after 72 h between the 10-mol%- and 20-mol%-Gd-doped CeO2 and the YSZ. However, at 1300 degrees C, a mixing region 25 mu m wide occurred, resulting in a cubic phase, where Zr4+ ions diffused in to the CeO2.