Polyvinyl alcohol-induced low temperature synthesis of CeO2-based powders

Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 (SDC) powders have been synthesized by a combustion method with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the fuel and nitrate as oxidizer. A calcination temperature of 350 °C was found to be sufficient for the formation of pure SDC powders. The cell parameters were calculated using the peak positions determined from the XRD patterns, and it was found that stoichiometric SDC powder could be obtained only when stoichiometric PVA fuel contents were used. The as-prepared SDC pellets exhibited 98% of the theoretical density sintered at 1300 °C. This shows that the SDC powders obtained by this combustion method have excellent sintering properties, which can densified at a relatively low sintering temperature. The powders made by this method, due to its high conductivity of 0.033 S cm−1 at 700 °C, are suitable for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs).