Influence of thickness on the electrical conductivity of YSZ electrolytes

Abstract

Eight percent (mole fraction) yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) electrolyte samples with thicknesses ranging from 150μm to 1.2mm were fabricated to determine the relationship between the thickness and electrical conductivity. In principle, this range can be considered to be an extension from the macro-scale tomicro-scale. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and alternating current complex impedance were used to characterize the samples. A nonlinear relationship between electrical conductivity and temperature was observed and explained by the "surface effect." In addition, both the pre-exponential factor and activation energy were confirmed to be significant factors affecting electrical conductivity. © 2010 The Ceramic Society of Japan.