Rare earth ion conduction in solids

The trivalent cation conductors of R-2(MO4)(3) (R: Al, Sc, Y, Er-Lu; M: W, Mo) polycrystals in the tungstate and the molybdate series were prepared an d the trivalent R3+ conducting properties were investigated. The ion conduc tivity was found to be strongly dependent on the crystal lattice size and t he highest conductivity was obtained in Sc-2(WO4)(3) and Sc-2(MoO4)(3). res pectively, among each series. in addition, the relationship between the lat tice size and R3+ ion conduction was also clarified by making various types of solid solutions and the enhancement of the objective R3+ ion conduction was successfully realized. The conducting species in these solid electroly tes was directly demonstrated to be trivalent Sc3+ cation by a de electroly sis. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.