Preparation and electrical properties of new oxide ion conductors Ce6-xDyxMoO15-delta (0.0 <= x <= 1.8)

Ce6-xDyxMoO15-delta (0.0 <= x <= 1.8) were synthesized by modified sol-gel method. Structural and electrical properties were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The XRD patterns showed that the materials were single phase with a cubic fluorite structure. Impedance spectroscopy measurement in the temperature range between 350 degrees C and 800 degrees C indicated a sharp increase in conductivity for the system containing small amount of Dy2O3. The Ce5.6Dy0.4MoO15-delta detected to be the best conducting phase with the highest conductivity (sigma(t) = 8.93 x 10(-3) S cm(-1)) is higher than that of Ce5.6Sm0.4MoO15-delta (sigma(t) = 2.93 x 10(-3) S cm(-1)) at 800 degrees C, and the corresponding activation energy of Ce5.6Dy0.4MoO15-delta (0.994 eV) is lower than that of Ce5.6Sm0.4MoO15-delta (1.002 eV).