High Electronically Conductive Tungsten Phosphate Glass-Ceramics

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Solid-State Chemistry
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Tungsten phosphate glass-ceramics are explored for electronic applications.
• Optimizing their electrical conductivity is crucial for device performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare highly electronically conductive tungsten phosphate glass-ceramics.
• To investigate the relationship between crystallization conditions and electrical properties.
• To explore their potential in energy storage and conversion devices.

Main Methods:

• Controlled crystallization of 60WO3-40P2O5 glass.
• Varying temperatures (700–935 °C) and times (1–24 h).
• Characterization of resulting glass-ceramics and their electrical conductivity.

Main Results:

• Achieved a four-order-of-magnitude increase in conductivity.
• Identified W2O3(PO4)2 and WO3 phases as responsible for conductivity.
• Max conductivity of 1.64 × 10^-4 (Ω cm)^-1 at 30 °C with WO3 crystallites (80 nm) at 935 °C for 24 h.

Conclusions:

• Crystallization parameters significantly impact the electronic transport properties.
• Tungsten phosphate glass-ceramics demonstrate potential as cathode/anode materials in solid-state batteries.
• These materials show promise as electrocatalysts in fuel cells.