Impedance spectroscopy: A useful technique to unveil the mechanism of a CO oxidation reaction

In this work, the impedance spectroscopy (IS) technique was used to aid inunderstanding the reaction mechanism of the CO oxidation reaction using thePr2Zr2−xFexO7±δ(x=0 and 0.10) mixed oxide as a heterogeneous catalyst. Thecatalytic reaction occurred in the same temperature range where there was adecrease in the overall resistivity of the materials. Moreover, it has been observedthat within the temperature range where the catalytic process takes place, thereis a variation in theAandnparameters of the power law dispersion. CombiningIS with catalytic reactions offers a robust approach to enhance the understand-ing of the mechanisms involved in the CO oxidation reaction. It enables preciseanalysis of the changes that take place at the solid–gas interface, particularly thegeneration of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, it allows examining the rela-tionship between the presence of oxygen vacancies and defects, which directlyimpact the catalytic process.Funding for open access charge: CRUE-Universitat Jaume

Structural and electrical properties of Zr-doped K0.48 Na 0.52 NbO 3 ceramics: “Hard” lead-free piezoelectric

The structural and electrical properties of K0.48Na0.52Nb1−xZrxO3−δ (x = 0–0.04) ceramics prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method were studied. Pellets with composition x ≤ 0.03 sintered at 1125 °C for 2 h showed single-phase of potassium sodium niobate (KNN) perovskite structure. Based on X-ray diffraction and Raman results, a mixture of orthorhombic and monoclinic phases was observed in intermediate compositions. The addition of Zr improved the sinterability and the “hard” piezoelectric properties of KNN, increasing the Ec and Qm values. The composition with x = 0.03 presented the highest permittivity at room temperature, ɛr′ = 363 and the lowest dielectric losses, tan δ = 0.027. Moreover, it was the sample with the highest Qm and d33 values, with Qm = 1781 and d33 = 82 pC/N. It was therefore the best compositions to obtain a “hard” piezoelectric material based on Zr-doped KNN, which makes it promising candidate for use as “hard” lead-free piezoelectric material for high power applications

Induced p-type semiconductivity in Mg-doped Nd2Zr2O7 pyrochlore system

Heterovalent B-site MgO substitution in the Nd2Zr2O7-system (Nd2Zr2−xMgxO7−x) has been explored. The pyrochlores were synthesized by a polymeric sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy to determine structure, phase composition and microstructure. Impedance Spectroscopy (IS) was employed to study the electrical behavior of the ceramics over the ranges 200–800 °C and under pure N2 and O2. The XRD showed that the solid solution limit was x > 0.02 and all the materials show a cubic ̅ structure. The Raman results confirm the structural disorder created by the introduction of Mg2+ and the subsequent generation of oxygen vacancies. The IS data shows a dramatical increase of the oxide-ion conductivity when doping and that the conductivity depends strongly on the atmosphere, leading to p-type semiconductivity under pure O2 atmosphere. The present study highlights the use of heterovalent dopants to drastically increase the oxide-ion conductivity of pyrochlore-like materials

Structural and electrical properties of Zr-doped K0.48Na0.52NbO3 ceramics: "Hard" lead-free piezoelectric

The structural and electrical properties of K0.48Na0.52Nb1-xZrxO3-d (x = 0–0.04) ceramics prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method were studied. Pellets with composition x = 0.03 sintered at 1125 °C for 2 h showed single-phase of potassium sodium niobate (KNN) perovskite structure. Based on X-ray diffraction and Raman results, a mixture of orthorhombic and monoclinic phases was observed in intermediate compositions. The addition of Zr improved the sinterability and the “hard” piezoelectric properties of KNN, increasing the Ec and Qm values. The composition with x = 0.03 presented the highest permittivity at room temperature, ¿r' = 363 and the lowest dielectric losses, tan d = 0.027. Moreover, it was the sample with the highest Qm and d33 values, with Qm = 1781 and d33 = 82 pC/N. It was therefore the best compositions to obtain a “hard” piezoelectric material based on Zr-doped KNN, which makes it promising candidate for use as “hard” lead-free piezoelectric material for high power applications.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

The catalytic activity of the Pr2Zr2-xFexO7±d system for the CO oxidation reaction

One of the alternatives to decrease the concentration of CO is its oxidation reaction to CO2, which can be made more efficient using catalysts. In this work, it is shown that pyrochlore structures are a promising candidate to act as heterogeneous catalysts due to their chemical and physical properties. For use as a catalyst in this reaction, the Pr2Zr2-xFexO7±d (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15) system was synthesized by the solvothermal method, firing the powder obtained at temperatures of 1200 and 1400°C. The diffraction patterns confirmed the pyrochlore structure as the single phase in all the nominal compositions. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method and dynamic light-scattering analysis showed an increase in the particle size and a decrease in the specific surface area when increasing the iron concentration and increasing the calcination temperature. The compositions that presented the best catalytic activity were the samples with the highest iron concentration. Moreover, these samples were able to convert all the CO oxidation reactions in a narrower temperature range than a conventional CeO2 sample. The presence of vacancies and the redox behavior of the elements present are the key factors for the catalysis of this system in the CO oxidation reaction.Postprint (published version

Impedance spectroscopy: A useful technique to unveil the mechanism of a CO oxidation reaction

In this work, the impedance spectroscopy (IS) technique was used to aid in understanding the reaction mechanism of the CO oxidation reaction using the Pr2Zr2-xFexO7±d (x = 0 and 0.10) mixed oxide as a heterogeneous catalyst. The catalytic reaction occurred in the same temperature range where there was a decrease in the overall resistivity of the materials. Moreover, it has been observed that within the temperature range where the catalytic process takes place, there is a variation in the A and n parameters of the power law dispersion. Combining IS with catalytic reactions offers a robust approach to enhance the understanding of the mechanisms involved in the CO oxidation reaction. It enables precise analysis of the changes that take place at the solid–gas interface, particularly the generation of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, it allows examining the relationship between the presence of oxygen vacancies and defects, which directly impact the catalytic process.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

The catalytic activity of the Pr2Zr2−xFexO7±δsystem for theCO oxidation reaction

One of the alternatives to decrease the concentration of CO is its oxidation reaction to CO2, which can be made more efficient using catalysts. In this work, it is shown that pyrochlore structures are a promising candidate to act as heterogeneous catalysts due to their chemical and physical properties. For use as a catalyst in this reaction, the Pr2Zr2−xFexO7±δ (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15) system was synthesized by the solvothermal method, firing the powder obtained at temperatures of 1200 and 1400°C. The diffraction patterns confirmed the pyrochlore structure as the single phase in all the nominal compositions. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method and dynamic light-scattering analysis showed an increase in the particle size and a decrease in the specific surface area when increasing the iron concentration and increasing the calcination temperature. The compositions that presented the best catalytic activity were the samples with the highest iron concentration. Moreover, these samples were able to convert all the CO oxidation reactions in a narrower temperature range than a conventional CeO2 sample. The presence of vacancies and the redox behavior of the elements present are the key factors for the catalysis of this system in the CO oxidation reaction.Funding for open access charge: CRUE-Universitat Jaume