Structural, electrical conductivity and dielectric behavior of Na2SO4-LDT composite solid electrolyte

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Solid State Chemistry
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) based materials are explored for their potential in various applications.
• Understanding the influence of additives on the properties of Na2SO4 is crucial for material design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize novel composite materials of (1-x) Na2SO4 - (x) LDT.
• To investigate the effect of LDT addition on the structural, thermal, and ionic conductive properties of Na2SO4.

Main Methods:

• Solid-state reaction method for composite synthesis.
• X-ray diffraction (XRD) for phase structure analysis.
• Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) for functionalization.
• Differential thermal analysis (DTA) for thermal properties.
• Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for surface morphology.
• Conductivity measurements using Arrhenius plots.

Main Results:

• Composite materials with improved thermal stability and reduced phase transition temperature were prepared.
• Scanning electron microscopy revealed enhanced rigid surfaces and interphases.
• Maximum ionic conductivity of 4.56 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹ was achieved at 500°C for x=0.4 composition.
• Lowest activation energy of 0.34 eV was observed in the temperature range of 573-773 K.
• Dielectric constant decreased with increasing frequency.

Conclusions:

• The dispersion of LDT particles in Na2SO4 enhances ionic conduction.
• The composite material with x=0.4 demonstrates superior ionic conductivity and thermal stability.
• These findings suggest potential applications for Na2SO4-LDT composites in areas requiring high ionic conduction.