Ionic Conductivity of Electrolytes Composed of Oleate-Capped Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Nanoparticles

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) is a highly promising electrolyte material for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). We investigated the conductivity-enhancing effect of nanosized YSZ to explore key techniques to decrease the operating temperature. YSZ nanoparticles ranging from 2 to 4 nm were synthesized with oleate groups by the hydrothermal method at various oleate/metal ion ratios (Ole/M = 1.00, 0.75, and 0.50). The nanoparticles were sintered, and the ionic conductivities were evaluated. The 1.00 Ole/M sample exhibited high dispersibility in cyclohexane and showed a nearly monodispersed distribution. The other samples possessed agglomerated nanoparticles. The sintered YSZ nanoparticles had densities of 3.36-2.80 g/cm³ and ionic conductivities of 2.52-1.16 mS/cm at 750 °C, which are higher than those of commercial 8 mol % YSZ. Furthermore, the sintered YSZ nanoparticles exhibited higher activation energies than the commercial samples in the lower temperature range (550-650 °C). The ionic conductivity enhancement despite the high activation energy is likely due to the increased grain boundary volume. This study demonstrated the successful production of YSZ with high ionic conductivity and sinterability upon sintering at 1050 °C using YSZ nanoparticles.