Effect of synthetic route on sintering behaviour, phase purity and conductivity of Sr- and Mg-doped LaGaO3 perovskites

La1-xSrxGa1-yMgyO3-d (LSGM) powders containing different amounts of Sr2+ and Mg2+ were prepared from precursors synthesised by either Pechini or citrate sol-gel method and by subsequent calcination at 1400 °C. Some powders were also submitted to further 10 h firing at 1500 °C. All as-calcined powders contained small amounts of Sr- and Ga-containing phases (namely SrLaGa3O7 and SrLaGaO4), as detected by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The relative amounts of these phases depended on x and y, i.e. the dopants’ levels. Nevertheless, powders prepared by the citrate method exhibited systematically higher phase purity than those obtained by the Pechini process. Calcined powders were then sintered at 1500 °C (10 h) in air and the degree of sintering was assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Phase composition of sintered pellets was different from that of powders. In fact, sintered pellets showed the presence of MgO, as detected by SEM, and of lesser amounts of SrLaGa3O7. Both these phases were less abundant in materials sintered using powders prepared by citrate method, thus suggesting that Pechini method does not represent the best wet chemical process for manufacturing. The conductivity of sintered pellets was measured by impedance spectroscopy in the 600–800 °C interval. Conductivity values of LSGM materials were affected by secondary phase segregation and, therefore, depended on both composition and sol-gel method synthetic route

Sol–gel synthesis and characterization of Co-doped LSGM perovskites

One of the major requirements for the development and commercialization of low-cost SOFCs is the reduction in the operating temperature. One of the methods to reach this aim is the use of solid electrolytes which exhibit superior ionic conductivity at intermediate temperatures (IT, T < 800 °C). Among these ionic conductors, doped LaGaO3 materials show high oxide ionic conductivity in the 600–800 °C range. These perovskites are usually prepared by time- and energy-consuming solid state reaction. In this paper, La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.8Mg0.2O2.8 (LSGM) and La0.8Sr0.20Ga0.8Mg0.2−xCoxO3−δ (LSGMC) powders containing different amounts of Co (x = 0.05, 0.085 and 0.10) were prepared from precursors synthesised by citrate sol–gel method. The precursors were calcined at 1000 °C (10 h) and dense high-purity pellets were obtained by pressing (300 MPa) and sintering in air at 1475 °C (5, 10 and 20 h). Sintered pellets of LSGM and LSGMC contained very small amounts (<1%) of SrLaGa3O7 and SrLaGaO4, respectively, as detected by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and by the combined use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The data clearly showed the feasibility of sol–gel methods to produce Co-doped LSGM perovskite type oxides

Two-Point Versus Multipartite Entanglement in Quantum Phase Transitions

We analyze correlations between subsystems for an extended Hubbard model exactly solvable in one dimension, which exhibits a rich structure of quantum phase transitions (QPTs). The T=0 phase diagram is exactly reproduced by studying singularities of single-site entanglement. It is shown how comparison of the latter quantity and quantum mutual information allows one to recognize whether two-point or shared quantum correlations are responsible for each of the occurring QPTs. The method works in principle for any number D of degrees of freedom per site. As a by-product, we are providing a benchmark for direct measures of bipartite entanglement; in particular, here we discuss the role of negativity at the transition.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl

Co-sintering of dense electrophoretically deposited YSZ films on porous NiO-YSZ substrates for SOFC applications

An original process for the preparation of YSZ dense films with a thickness lower than 10 μm over NiO-YSZ substrates is presented. This process involves the preparation of a green membrane of NiO-YSZ and subsequent electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of commercial YSZ powder on this polymer-rich membrane. A single thermal treatment allowed removal of the organic compounds, sintering of the layers and full densification of the electrolyte. © 2005 Materials Research Society

Preliminary results from antarctic albedo from remote sensing observations

The aim of the study is to analyse the surface albedo of the Ant-arctica and investigate eventual signals of variations in space and time between summer 2000/2001 and 2011/2012 by means of the GLASS albedo product. We followed a step-by-step procedure from micro- to macro-scale. At first, we analysed 95 glaciers around the continent, and we found limited temporal variability. Then, looking at spatial varia-tions, we divided Antarctica based on oceanic basins and by continen-tality. We found spatial signals, since mean albedo values range between 0.79 (Pacific and Atlantic basins) and 0.82 (Indian basin) and between 0.76 (along the shore) and 0.81 (inner continent). An increasing vari-ability was found from the inner continent to the shore, and heteroge-neous patterns among the basins, most likely due to meteorological and environmental conditions (mainly: temperature, precipitation, katabatic winds). Finally, the general patterns observed (considering the specific gla-ciers, the three basins and the three continentality sectors) were verified by the analysis of the whole continent and we did not find a significant change of summer averages over time, as they range between 0.79 and 0.80

Electrochemical characterization of anode supported SOFC prepared by co-firing technique

One of the main problems in the fabrication of anode supported solid oxide fuel cells is related to the sintering of electrolyte layer on anodic substrate, because differential densification of the layers may result in cracks during thermal process. Co-firing approach consists of simultaneous sintering of both electrolyte and anode. In this way, shrinkage of porous layer is compatible with the densification of electrolyte film. In this work co-firing technique was used for the sintering of YSZ thick films deposited on green NiO-YSZ layers by electrophoretic deposition (EPD). EPD is a colloidal process based on the motion of charged particles in the electric field in the direction of the electrode with opposite charge, thus forming a compact layer. With respect to other techniques, EPD has several advantages: short formation times, little restriction in the shape of substrates, simple deposition apparatus, possibility to have a mass production, low cost, easy control of the thickness of the deposited film through simple regulation of applied potential and deposition time. The EPD/co-firing combined process allowed to obtain a dense, 10 μm thick, crack free electrolyte layer with a good bonding to the anode. A slurry was prepared starting from a commercial NiOYSZ anodic powder (Praxair), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF binder SOLEF 6020, Solvay), a nanometric carbon powder (super P, Carbon Belgium), dispersed in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. A green membrane was obtained after evaporation of the solvent. A suspension of YSZ powder was prepared starting from commercial YSZ (TZ8Y, Tosoh) in methanol and deposited by EPD on a green NiO-YSZ membrane using a planar EPD cell setup. Co-firing parameters were assessed from the results of TG-DTA analysis performed on green bodies. Figure 1 shows the results of Hg porosimetry performed on sintered anodes for the determination of residual porosity and surface area. Green and fired samples were characterized in terms of morphology by scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), as reported in Figure 2. EDS linescan performed on the cross section of the cell did not show nickel diffusion in the electrolyte layer. A cathode layer was deposited on fully sintered half cells via spray-powder technique, using a suspension of commercial LSFC powder (Nextech), followed by a low temperature sintering process. Electrochemical characterization was performed on button cells in hydrogen in the temperature range 600-800 degrees C. Data of the electrochemical characterization will be presented at the conference