EFFECTS OF AL2O3 ADDITION ON THE SINTERABILITY AND IONIC-CONDUCTIVITY OF NASICON

Abstract

The effects Al2O3 doping on the sintering behaviour and ionic conductivity of nasicon have been investigated using formulations of Na3+2xZr2Si2AlxP1-xO12 where Al3+ ions were substituted to P5+ sites within the range 0 less-than-or-equal-to less-than-or-equal-to x less-than-or-equal-to 0.2. The density of Na3+2xZr2Si2AlxP1-xO12 was increased with increasing amount of Al2O3 doping due to the enhanced liquid-phase sintering. The relative density of Na3.4Zr2Si2Al0.2P0.8O12 reached a maximum value of 96% when sintered at 1200-degrees-C for more than 7 h. The maximum conductivity of 0.24 OMEGA-1 cm-1 at 300-degrees-C was obtained for the composition with x = 0.1 when sintered at 1200-degrees-C for 10 h.