Structure of crystalline and amorphous materials in the NASICON system Na_1+xAl_xGe_{2- x}(PO₄)₃

The structure of crystalline and amorphous materials in the sodium (Na) super-ionic conductor system Na1+xAlxGe2-x(PO4)3 with x = 0, 0.4, and 0.8 was investigated by combining (i) neutron and x-ray powder diffraction and pair-distribution function analysis with (ii) 27Al and 31P magic angle spinning (MAS) and 31P/23Na double-resonance nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. A Rietveld analysis of the powder diffraction patterns shows that the x = 0 and x = 0.4 compositions crystallize into space group-type R3¯, whereas the x = 0.8 composition crystallizes into space group-type R3¯c. For the as-prepared glass, the pair-distribution functions and 27Al MAS NMR spectra show the formation of sub-octahedral Ge and Al centered units, which leads to the creation of non-bridging oxygen (NBO) atoms. The influence of these atoms on the ion mobility is discussed. When the as-prepared glass is relaxed by thermal annealing, there is an increase in the Ge and Al coordination numbers that leads to a decrease in the fraction of NBO atoms. A model is proposed for the x = 0 glass in which super-structural units containing octahedral Ge(6) and tetrahedral P(3) motifs are embedded in a matrix of tetrahedral Ge(4) units, where superscripts denote the number of bridging oxygen atoms. The super-structural units can grow in size by a reaction in which NBO atoms on the P(3) motifs are used to convert Ge(4) to Ge(6) units. The resultant P(4) motifs thereby provide the nucleation sites for crystal growth via a homogeneous nucleation mechanism. </p

Structure of crystalline and amorphous materials in the NASICON system Na_1+xAl_xGe_{2- x}(PO₄)₃

The structure of crystalline and amorphous materials in the sodium (Na) super-ionic conductor system Na1+xAlxGe2-x(PO4)3 with x = 0, 0.4, and 0.8 was investigated by combining (i) neutron and x-ray powder diffraction and pair-distribution function analysis with (ii) 27Al and 31P magic angle spinning (MAS) and 31P/23Na double-resonance nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. A Rietveld analysis of the powder diffraction patterns shows that the x = 0 and x = 0.4 compositions crystallize into space group-type R3¯, whereas the x = 0.8 composition crystallizes into space group-type R3¯c. For the as-prepared glass, the pair-distribution functions and 27Al MAS NMR spectra show the formation of sub-octahedral Ge and Al centered units, which leads to the creation of non-bridging oxygen (NBO) atoms. The influence of these atoms on the ion mobility is discussed. When the as-prepared glass is relaxed by thermal annealing, there is an increase in the Ge and Al coordination numbers that leads to a decrease in the fraction of NBO atoms. A model is proposed for the x = 0 glass in which super-structural units containing octahedral Ge(6) and tetrahedral P(3) motifs are embedded in a matrix of tetrahedral Ge(4) units, where superscripts denote the number of bridging oxygen atoms. The super-structural units can grow in size by a reaction in which NBO atoms on the P(3) motifs are used to convert Ge(4) to Ge(6) units. The resultant P(4) motifs thereby provide the nucleation sites for crystal growth via a homogeneous nucleation mechanism. </p

Synthesis and electrical properties of strontium-doped lanthanum ferrite with perovskite-type structure

In this study, we prepared strontium-doped lanthanum ferrites with the perovskite-type structure for application as solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathodes. We used the Pechini method to prepare strontium-doped lanthanum ferrites with the strontium:lanthanum molar ratios of 20:80 and 40:60. The resulting doped materials were characterized using various analytical tools. The calcination process was conducted at 450 °C because above this temperature, the stabilization of mass loss occurred and no phase transformation was observed. The X-ray diffraction results confirmed the mixing of the powder phases after the calcination process and the presence of a single powder phase in the air-sintered samples. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results revealed the presence of agglomerated nanoparticles smaller than 20 nm in size in the samples. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results revealed that the sample with 20% strontium exhibited a conductivity of 3.9 × 10−3 S cm−1 at 95 °C and activation energy of 0.37 eV. In contrast, the sample with 40% strontium exhibited a conductivity of 3.5 × 10−2 S cm−1 and activation energy of 0.29 eV. These results suggest that with an increase in the strontium content, the conductivity of the samples increased, where as the activation energy of the conduction process decreased. Therefore, the ferrites synthesized in this work are potential catalysts for SOFC cathodes

IX Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad. Memoria académica

Las discusiones transformadoras y los conocimientos innovadores hacen parte de páginas de estas Memorias del IX Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad o CITIS 2023. Desde las preocupaciones apremiantes sobre la sostenibilidad ambiental hasta el panorama siempre cambiante de la información y las telecomunicaciones; desde los avances en la industria hasta el futuro de la movilidad, esta antología presenta una exploración completa de los frentes de la ciencia y la tecnología. Destacados académico, investigadores y profesionales se dieron cita en este encuentro celebrado en julio de 2023 en a Universidad Politécnica Salesiana en Guayaquil, Ecuador. Su análisis y distintas visiones son testimonio del esfuerzo colectivo hacia una sociedad más inclusiva, sostenible y tecnológicamente avanzada