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Insights on the phase transitions, stability and conductivity in the Bi2O3-WO3 system

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Abstract

Equilibrium phases of the Bi2O3-WO3 system, synthesized using the citrate-gel method with slow cooling, have been systematically investigated for samples with 22–27 mol% WO3. Annealing temperature and content of WO3 were shown to play a significant role in the phases present. Both powder X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy revealed that the room temperature equilibrium phases were 7Bi2O3-WO3 and 7Bi2O3-2WO3, with the latter being dominant. Variable temperature Raman spectroscopy showed that both these phases were present up to 850 °C, with the possible formation of a third unidentified phase at higher temperatures. The ionic conductivities of the mixed-phase materials were between that for the pure 7Bi2O3-WO3 and 7Bi2O3-2WO3 phases and at 700 °C was only about three times lower than that of the pure defect fluorite phase of the 22 mol% WO3 samples. The Arrhenius plots showed no sudden increase in conductivity between 300 and 750 °C providing evidence that no major phase change occurred in this temperature range.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the following for financial support for this work: National Research Foundation (Grant Numbers 78555; 99003; 105852), the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials and the University of the Witwatersrand.

Funding

National Research Foundation (Grant Numbers 78555; 99003; 105852), the DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials and the University of the Witwatersrand.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Science Institute, School of Chemistry, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag X3, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa

    Sikhumbuzo M. Masina, Caren Billing & David G. Billing

  2. Material Physics Research Institute, Microscopy and Microanalysis Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag X3, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa

    Rudolph M. Erasmus

  3. DST-NRF Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag X3, 2050, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Rudolph M. Erasmus & David G. Billing

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  1. Sikhumbuzo M. Masina
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Masina, S.M., Billing, C., Erasmus, R.M. et al. Insights on the phase transitions, stability and conductivity in the Bi2O3-WO3 system. J Electroceram 46, 47–56 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10832-021-00243-w

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