Preparation and investigation of ion-conducting nanocomposite materials based on the aerosil-silver iodide system

Abstract

The phase composition of samples in the aerosil-silver iodide system has been determined using X-ray diffractometry. It has been demonstrated that the sizes of crystals of the initial silver iodide, silver iodide in the initial aerosil-silver iodide powder, and silver iodide in the aerosil-silver iodide powder after heat treatment are approximately identical to each other and equal to about 55 nm. The average size and specific surface area of particles of the initial dispersed aerosil have been determined by the adsorption method (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller method). The average particle size is approximately equal to 12 nm, and the specific surface area is ∼220 m2/g. The electrical properties of ion-conducting nanocomposite materials based on the aerosil-silver iodide system have been studied by impedance spectroscopy in the temperature range 20–160°C. An increase in the silver halide content in the mixture with the aerosil leads to an increase in the electrical conductivity. The ionic component of the electrical conductivity is dominant for glasses with a high silver halide content.