Synthesis and characterization of nanostructured Bi2O3-doped cerium oxides fabricated by PVA polymerization process

Bi2O3-doped ceria oxygen-ion conductors were prepared by a wet chemical synthesis method, which is performed by polymerization of polyvinyl-alcohol (PVA). The experiments showed that Bi2O3–CeO2 solid solution with 9.2 nm grains and pure fluorite type phase can be synthesized at a calcination temperature of 500 °C by PVA polymerization process. X-ray analysis revealed that high density nanostructured bulks could be prepared at a sintering temperature of 900 °C, and these bulk samples with an average grain size less than 70 nm could effectively be obtained at various heating rates during sintering. Oxygen-ion conductivity increased with the increase of dopant concentrations between 5 mol% and 15 mol% in present study.