Preparation of 15 mol% YO1.5-doped ThO2 disk electrolytes by a polymeric gel-combustion method

A hybrid of polymeric gel and auto-combustion techniques was adapted for the synthesis and lower temperature sintering of 15 mol% YO1.5-doped thoria (15 YDT) homogeneous solid solutions at 1350°C. The YDT discs so prepared were of density better than 99% theoretical and the cubic cell parameter was ao=558.15(±0.13) pm in close agreement with 557.8 pm recently reported as high quality data in JCPDS confirming the validity of the anion vacancy model for Th0.85Y0.15O1.925.