Synthesis and Characterization of Pure and Doped Ceria Films by Sol-Gel and Sputtering
Pure and doped Ceria are known for their ability to gain or lose Oxygen, which is of interest to the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) and catalyst community. Current efforts are focused in SOFCs to reduce the operating temperature of the cell while maintaining ionic conduction. Ceria is known for its high ionic conductivity in the intermediate temperature region. (600-800° C) We have prepared pure and doped Ceria films by Sol-gel and magnetron sputtering methods. Enhanced grain-boundary contribution in the conductivity can be studied in the Sol-gel process due to excellent control over the synthesis conditions, which enabled us to control the average grain size. Sputtered films were grown and investigated as a prelude to possible multi-layered CeO2 structures in the near future. These films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), nuclear reaction analysis (NRA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Oxygen conduction measurements. We have observed greater volume diffusion in nanocrystalline Ceria compared to bulk polycrystalline films as a result of low density. Near surface diffusion properties with increasing temperature indicate a decrease in the volume diffusion as a result of grain growth. However, a linear increase in O2 content at ~600nm depth was observed and can be correlated to the redistribution of O2 in the samples. Surface roughness of <111> and <200> oriented Ceria films on Al2O3 and YSZ was observed to be 0.13nm and 0.397nm, respectively. In the case of Ceria grown on YSZ, structural properties from XRD results showed a highly oriented structure with cube on cube growth. XRD results from Ceria grown on Al2O3 showed an oriented structure whose degree of orientation appeared to be partially dependent on substrate temperature. Preliminary XPS results indicate reduction in Ceria from the Ce4+ to Ce3+ state near the surface.
- Research Organization:
- DOESC (USDOE Office of Science (SC) (United States))
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- OSTI ID:
- 1051669
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Undergraduate Research, Vol. 4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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