Oxygen defective cerium oxides CeO2-δ exhibits a non-classical giant electromechanical response that is superior to lead-based electrostrictors. In this work, we report the key-role of acceptor dopants, with different size...

Cations’ valence and size influence mass diffusion and oxygen defects in ceria. Mass diffusion is limited by Gd3+ under oxidative conditions, where Ce4+ is the host cation, while it is unleashed under reducing conditions, where Ce3+ and Gd3+ have the same charge and similar size. Solid solutions with enhanced electrochemical properties are formed under controlled thermo-chemical conditions.

Some oxygen defective fluorites are non-Newnham electrostrictors, i.e., the electromechanical response does not depend on their dielectric properties. Here, we show gigantic electrostriction in nanocrystalline 25 mol% praseodymium doped ceria...

A fast and accurate experimental method is demonstrated to assess the fraction of exsolved metallic nanoparticles using magnetic measurements. As a benchmark, nanometric metallic nickel exsolved from (La1−xSrx)(Cr1−yNiy)O3−δ is used for its high relevance as a solid oxide fuel cell component. The method is based on the difference in the magnetic response of the exsolved metallic nickel (ferromagnetic) and Sr‐doped lanthanum chromite ceramic matrix (paramagnetic). The exsolved nickel results in coherent nanoparticles pinned on the surface of the Sr‐doped lanthanum chromite ceramic matrix, as evidenced by electron microscopy analyses. The results obtained indicate the procedure as a fast and sensitive method to study the exsolution of ferromagnetic nanoparticles.

We couple the spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique with the ball mill process to fabricate a new electro-chemo-mechanical functional carbon-metal oxide hybrid material. Graphene oxide (GO) or carbon nanotubes (CNT)...