Structural, optical, and electrical characterization of TiO2-doped yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolytes grown by atomic layer deposition

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Jorge Luis Vazquez - , Centro de Investigacion Cientifica y de Educacion Superior de Ensenada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Author)
  • Amin Bahrami - , Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Carolina Bohórquez - , Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Author)
  • Eduardo Blanco - , University of Cádiz (Author)
  • Manuel Dominguez - , University of Cádiz (Author)
  • Gerardo Soto - , Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Author)
  • Kornelius Nielsch - , Chair of Metallic Materials and Metal Physics, Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (Author)
  • Hugo Tiznado - , Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Author)

Abstract

Electrolyte material optimization is crucial for electrochemical energy storage devices. The specific composition and structure have an impact on conductivity and stability, both of which are essential for efficient device performance. The effects of controlled incorporation of TiO2 into a Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte using the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique are investigated in this study. The surface chemical composition analysis reveals variations in the Ti oxidation state and a decrease in the O/(Zr + Y + Ti) ratio as TiO2 concentration increases. The formation of acceptor states near the valence band is proposed to reduce the bandgap with the Fermi level. The structural properties indicate that as TiO2 concentration increases, surface homogeneity and crystallite size increase. The contact angle with water indicates a hydrophobic behavior influenced by surface morphology and potential oxygen vacancies. Finally, electrical properties, measured in Ru/TiO2-doped YSZ/Au capacitors operated at temperatures between 100 and 170 °C, showed that the TiO2 incorporation improved the ionic conductivity, decreased the activation energy for conductivity, and improved the capacitance of the cells. This study highlights the importance of the ALD technique in solid-state electrolyte engineering for specific applications, such as energy storage devices.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number051112
Number of pages14
JournalAPL materials
Volume12
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

Keywords