Stability against reduction of fluorite-like rhombohedral La5.5MoO11.25 and Ho5.4Zr0.6MoO12.3 fluorite: Conductivity and neutron diffraction study

Abstract

Zr-substituted rare-earth molybdates Ho5.4Zr0.6MoO12.3 and unsubstituted La5.5MoO11.25 demonstrate appreciable mixed electron-proton conductivity in the 200–470 °C and 145–730 °C temperature range, respectively, under wet oxidizing and mild reducing conditions (air, Ar, Ar-5% H2). Rhombohedral fluorite-like La5.5MoO11.25 showed the highest bulk conductivity of about 1 × 10−5 S/cm at 400 °C in wet air and Ar. Its impedance spectra did not provide any evidence of the grain boundary contribution in wet atmosphere. Total conductivity of Ho5.4Zr0.6MoO12.3 fluorite is much lower and is 3 × 10−7 S/cm at 400 °C in wet air. Besides, it should be noted that there is a grain-boundary contribution of Ho5.4Zr0.6MoO12.3 in wet air and Ar.Thermogravimetry data demonstrate that the fraction of strong structurally bound water and interstitial protons in La5.5MoO11.25 and Ho5.4Zr0.6MoO12.3 is ~0.02–0.03% in the range ~600–900 °C.The stability of Ho5.4Zr0.6MoO12.3 fluorite structure and fluorite-like rhombohedral La5.5MoO11.25 structure in extremely dry conditions under dynamic vacuum of 10−6–10−7 mbar was investigated by in situ variable temperature neutron diffraction between 800 and 1400 °C to understand phase behaviour under mild reducing conditions in a wide temperature range.Rhombohedral fluorite-like La5.5MoO11.25 has been shown to be more resistant to reduction under vacuum below 1100 °С in heating–cooling cycles than is fluorite Ho5.4Zr0.6MoO12.3. Given the higher proton conductivity of Ln5.5MoO11.25, this suggests that rhombohedral fluorite-like La6MoO12 - based molybdates are suitable for long-term use under mild reducing conditions and 600–800 °С.