• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.534-538
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• 2012

$Na^+$-beta-alumina solid electrolyte was synthesized by solid state reaction using $Li_2O$ and MgO as a phase stabilizer, and the effect of stabilizers on the phase formation and sintering density was investigated. In order to determine the phase fraction according to the synthesizing temperature, the molar ratio of [$Na_2O$] : [$Al_2O_3$] was fixed at 1 : 5, and calcination was conducted at temperatures between $1200{\sim}1500^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. In the $Li_2O$-$Na_2O$-$Al_2O_3$ ternary system, ${\beta}^{{\prime}{\prime}}$-alumina phase fraction considerably increased by the secondary phase transition at $1500^{\circ}C$, whereas it maintained similarly in the MgO-$Na_2O$-$Al_2O_3$ system. Additionally, the disc-type specimens of $Na^+$-beta-alumina were sintered at the temperature between $1550{\sim}1650^{\circ}C$ for 30 min, and relative sintering densities, phase changes, and microstructures were analyzed. In case of $Li_2O$-stabilized $Na^+$-beta-alumina, ${\beta}^{{\prime}{\prime}}$-phase fraction and relative density of specimen sintered at $1600^{\circ}C$ were 94.7% and 98%, respectively. Relative density of MgO-stabilized $Na^+$-beta-alumina increased with a rise in sintering temperature.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.191-200
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• 2022

Na-β"-Al₂O₃ has been widely employed as a solid electrolyte for high-temperature sodium (Na) beta-alumina batteries (NBBs) thanks to its superb thermal stability and high ionic conductivity. Recently, a vapor phase conversion (VPC) method has been newly introduced to fabricate thin Na-β"-Al₂O₃ electrolytes by converting α-Al₂O₃ into β"-Al₂O₃ in α-Al₂O₃/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) composites under Na⁺ and O^2- dual percolation environments. One of the main challenges that need to be figured out is lowered conductivity due to the large volume fraction of the non-Na⁺-conducting YSZ. In this study, the effect of lithia addition in the β"-Al₂O₃ phase on the grain size and ionic conductivity of Na-β"-Al₂O₃/YSZ solid electrolytes have been investigated in order to enhance the conductivity of the electrolyte. The amount of pre-added lithia (Li₂O) precursor as a phase stabilizer was varied at 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 mol% against that of Al₂O₃. It turns out that ionic conductivity increases even with 1 mol% lithia addition and reaches 67 mS cm^-1 at 350 ℃ of its maximum with 3 mol%, which is two times higher than that of the undoped composite.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.200-204
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• 2017

Molybdenum (Mo), an electrode material of alkali metal thermal-to-electric converters (AMTEC), facilitates grain growth behavior and forms Mo-Na-O compounds at high operating temperatures, resulting in reduced performance and shortened lifetime of the cell. Mo/TiN composite materials have been developed to provide a solution for such issues. Mo is a metal that possesses excellent electrical properties, and TiN is a ceramic compound with high-temperature durability and catalytic activity. In this study, a dip-coating process with an organic solvent-based slurry was used as an optimal coating method to achieve homogeneity and stability of the electrodes. Cell performance was evaluated under various conditions such as the number of coatings, ranging from 1 to 3 times, and heat treatment temperatures of $800-1100^{\circ}C$. The results confirmed that the cell yielded a maximum power of 9.99 W for the sample coated 3 times and heat-treated at $900^{\circ}C$.