Materials World Network: Nanometric Effects at Ultra-Small Crystallite Size: Investigation of Low-Temperature Protonic Conductivity in Dense Functional Oxide Ceramics

受最近在YSZ上史无前例的观察到的启发，本研究项目的目的是从根本上调查和更好地了解致密的、具有超小晶体尺寸的功能氧化物材料(如受主掺杂的氧化锆和氧化铈)中的低温质子电导和相关现象。该研究项目是加州大学戴维斯分校(UC Davis)化学工程与材料科学系(Z.A.Munir教授和S.Kim教授)与德国RWTH亚琛大学物理化学研究所(M.Martin教授)合作开展的。在加州大学戴维斯分校，将开展(A)利用PECS方法合成纳米氧化物的基础研究，(B)样品的结构表征，以及(C)所制备材料的电特性。在RWTH，亚琛最先进的飞行时间二次离子质谱仪(ToF-SIMS)深度分辨率低于1 nm，将用于研究在加州大学戴维斯分校制备和表征的纳米氧化物样品中质子(和氢)的溶解和扩散以及氧的扩散。通过双方的共同努力和独特的仪器设备(PECS和SIMS)，我们希望提供对致密的纳米晶氧化物中基本的质子和氧传输过程的理解，作为功能氧化物中纳米尺度效应的一个例子。

Motivated by the recent unprecedented observations on YSZ, the aim of this research project is to fundamentally investigate and provide a better understanding of the low-temperature protonic conductivity and related phenomena in dense, functional oxide materials with ultra-small crystallite sizes, such as acceptor-doped zirconia and ceria. The research project is a collaborative effort between the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science (Professors Z. A. Munir and S. Kim) at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), and the Institute of Physical Chemistry (Professor M. Martin) at RWTH Aachen University, Germany. At UC Davis fundamental investigations will be carried out (a) on the synthesis of nanocrystalline oxides by means of the PECS method, (b) on the structural characterization of the samples, and (c) on the electrical characterization of the prepared materials. At RWTH Aachen state-of-the-art time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) with a depth resolution below 1 nm will be used to investigate solubility and diffusion of protons (and deuterons) and diffusion of oxygen in nanocrystalline oxide samples prepared and characterized at UC Davis. Through the combined effort and the unique instrumentation on both sides (PECS and SIMS) we expect to provide an understanding of the fundamental proton and oxygen transport processes in dense, nanocrystalline oxides, as an example of the nanoscale effect in functional oxides.