Anisotropy of ionic conduction in single-crystal LixLa(1−x)/3NbO3 solid electrolyte grown by directional solidification

Abstract

The anisotropy of ionic conduction in a solid electrolyte (LixLa(1−x)/3NbO3) was experimentally confirmed for the first time. Ionic conduction measurements were carried out on the (100), (010), (001), (110), (111), and (112) planes of single-crystal ingots of LixLa(1−x)/3NbO3 grown by directional solidification. We found that the ionic conductivity in LixLa(1−x)/3NbO3 with x = 0.08 was 3.6 × 10−4 S cm−1 in the [100] and [010] directions, approximately 10 times higher than that in the [001] direction. Such anisotropy of the ionic conduction is discussed with respect to the characteristic layered structure of LixLa(1−x)/3NbO3.