Defect Structure and Defect-Induced Expansion of MIEC Oxides: Doped Lanthanum Cobaltites

Abstract

Perovskites based upon substituted LaCoO3−δ are the state-of-the-art materials for a variety of different devices for moderate high temperature applications such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and mixed ionic and electronic conducting (MIEC) membranes. The unique feature of the oxides is their ability to undergo both thermal expansion and that induced by the defects of oxygen nonstoichiometry in the oxide lattice. The latter is chemical or defect-induced expansion. This property is extremely sensitive to the defect structure of the oxide material. Therefore reliable data on the defect structure of oxide materials is of key importance to understanding the origin of their chemically induced lattice strain. On the other hand, chemical expansion of oxide crystal cell precisely measured with ppm-resolution allows better understanding its local electronic and defect structure.