Oxygen nonstoichiometry and defect equilibrium in La2 − xSrxNiO4 + δ

Nonstoichiometric variation of oxygen content in La2 − xSrxNiO4 + δ (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) and decomposition P(O2) were determined by means of high temperature gravimetry and coulometric titration. The measurements were carried out in the temperature range between 873 and 1173 K and the P(O2) range between 10− 20 and 1 bar. La2 − xSrxNiO4 + δ showed the oxygen excess and the oxygen deficient compositions depending on P(O2), temperature, and the Sr content. The value of partial molar enthalpy of oxygen approaches zero as δ increases in the oxygen excess region, which indicate that the interstitial oxygen formation reaction is suppressed as δ increase. The relationship between δ and logP(O2) were analyzed by two types of defect equilibrium models. One is a localized electron model, and the other is a delocalized electron model. Both models can well explain the oxygen nonstoichiometry of La2 − xSrxNiO4 + δ with a regular solution approximation.