Oxygen diffusion across the grain boundary in bicrystal yttria stabilized zirconia

Abstract

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements in yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) with a single Sigma 13(510)/[001] grain boundary in a common SOFC electrolyte showed that oxide ion diffusion is blocked when it jumps across the grain boundary at operating temperatures between 300 and 525 degrees C. The EIS results are supported by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) measurements combined with oxygen isotope annealing on the bicrystal YSZ. The SIMS results showed that the O-18/O-16+O-18 ratio dropped sharply near the grain boundary regions. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.