THE EFFECT OF SINTERING TEMPERATURE ON CHARACTERISTIC OF CALSIA STABILIZED ZIRCONIA CERAMICWITH ADDITION OF NATRIUM CARBONATE FOR SOLID ELECTROLYTE

Abstract

Fabrication of solid electrolytes for an Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) has been done. The solid electrolyte for the SOFC made of Calcia Stabilized Zirconia (CSZ) and Natrium Carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ). The concentration of the natriumcarbonate was 20 weight%. After mixing CSZ and natrium carbonate, pressing was done followed by sintering at various temperatures of 650 °C, 800 °C and 1000 °C for one hour. Impedance of sintered ceramics was measured using an LCRmeter in order to know the ionic conductivity of the ceramics. Crystal structure was analyzed using an X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD) and the microstructure was analyzed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The XRD analyses result showed that the CSZ-Natrium carbonate electrolyte was a composite consists of CSZ, ZrO2 and natrium carbonate. The SEM analyses result showed that the higher the sintering temperature, the large the porosity. The addition of the natrium carbonate decreased the density of the ceramics. Among three sintering temperatures, the sintering temperature of 650 °C was the optimal one. The ceramic sintered at this temperature possessed ionic conductivity of 7.25x10 -4 S/cm at measurement temperature of 500 °C. Keywords: SOFC, CSZ, Natrium carbonate, Solid Electrolyte, Composite