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Impedance spectroscopy of grain boundaries in nanophase ZnO

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Abstract

Sintered compacts of nanophase ZnO (∼60 nm average grain size, presintered at 600 °C) were made from powders (∼13 nm) prepared by the gas-condensation technique. Impedance spectra were taken as a function of temperature over the range 450–600 °C and as a function of oxygen partial pressure over the range 10−3−1 atm (550 and 600 °C only). The activation energy was determined to be 55 kJ/mole (0.57 eV) and was independent of oxygen partial pressure. The oxygen partial pressure exponent was −1/6. Impedance spectra exhibited nonlinear I-V behavior, with a threshold of approximately 6 V. These results indicate that grain boundaries are governing the electrical properties of the compact. Ramifications for oxygen sensing and for grain boundary defect characterization are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Notre Dame, 46556, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA

    J. Lee & A. E. Miller

  2. Department of Materials Science, Northwestern University, 60208, Evanston, Illinois, USA

    J.-H. Hwang, J. J. Mashek & T. O. Mason

  3. Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, 60439, Argonne, Illinois, USA

    R. W. Siegel

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  1. J. Lee
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  2. J.-H. Hwang
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  3. J. J. Mashek
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  5. A. E. Miller
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Lee, J., Hwang, JH., Mashek, J.J. et al. Impedance spectroscopy of grain boundaries in nanophase ZnO. Journal of Materials Research 10, 2295–2300 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1995.2295

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.1995.2295

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