Solid electrolytes—the beta aluminas

JUL 01, 1982

Materials in which lattice defects allow ions to flow rapidly have interesting physical properties and important applications in new electrochemical devices such as sodium–sulfur batteries.

DOI: 10.1063/1.2915170

John B. Bates

Jia‐Chao Wang

Nancy J. Dudney

Electrolytes conduct electricity by the movement of ions, whereas metals conduct by the flow of electrons. Until recently, almost all electrolytes known to have high conductivities were liquids, such as molten salts or aqueous solutions of salts. But research over the last twenty years has uncovered many solid electrolytes—substances that have a high ionic conductivity even though they are insulators to the flow of electrons. Physicists often call these solids “superionic conductors” because a number of the compounds have electrical conductivities comparable with those of liquid electrolytes. (But we will avoid this term to prevent a possible mistaken identification with superconductors.)

This article is only available in PDF format

References

1. Superionic Conductors, G. D. Mahan, W. L. Roth, eds., Plenum, New York (1976).
2. Solid Electrolytes, S. Geller, ed., Springer–Verlag, New York (1977).
3. Solid Electrolytes: General Principles, Characterization, Materials, and Applications, P. Hagenmuller, W. Van Gool, eds. Academic, New York (1978).
4. Physics of Superionic Conductors, M. B. Salamon, ed., Springer–Verlag, New York (1979).
5. Fast Ion Transport in Solids, Electrodes and Electrolytes, Proc. Int. Conf. Fast Ion Transport in Solids, Electrodes and Electrolytes, Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, 21–25 May 1979,
P. Vashishta, J. N. Mundy, G. K. Shenoy, eds., North‐Holland, New York (1979).
6. Proc. 3rd Int. Meeting on Solid Electrolytes—Solid State Ionics and Galvanic Cells, Tokyo, Japan, 15–19 September 1980,
T. Takahashi, K. Fueki, B. B. Owens, C. A. Vincent, eds., Solid State Ionics, 3–4 (1981).
7. Fast Ionic Transport in Solids, Proc. Int. Conf. Fast Ionic Transport In Solids, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, 18–22 May 1981,
J. B. Bates, G. C. Farrington, eds., North‐Holland, New York (1981);
Solid State Ionics 5 (1981).
8. J. T. Kummer, in Progress in Solid State Chemistry, H. Reiss, J. O. McCaldin, eds., Pergamon, New York (1972), volume 7, page 141.
9. L. R. Rothrock, J. Crystal Growth 39, 180 (1977).
10. Y.‐F. Y. Yao, J. T. Kummer, J. Inorg. Nucl. Chem. 29, 2453 (1967).
11. B. Dunn, G. C. Farrington, Mat. Res. Bull. 15, 1773 (1980).
12. C. R. Peters, M. Bettman, J. W. Moore, M. D. Glick, Acta Cryst. B27, 1826 (1971);
M. Bettman, C. R. Peters, J. Phys. Chem. 73, 1774 (1969).https://doi.org/JPCHAX
13. J. C. Wang, M. Gaffari, S. Choi, J. Chem. Phys. 63, 772 (1975).https://doi.org/JCPSA6
14. H. Engstrom, J. B. Bates, J. C. Wang, Solid State Commun. 35, 543 (1980); https://doi.org/SSCOA4
H. Engstrom, J. B. Bates, W. E. Brundage, J. C. Wang, Solid State Ionics 2, 265 (1981).
15. S. J. AllenJr., A. S. Cooper, F. DeRosa, J. P. Remeika, S. K. Ulasi, Phys. Rev. B 17, 4031 (1978).
16. J. P. Boilot, G. Collin, Ph. Colomban, R. Comes, Phys. Rev. B 22, 5912 (1980).
17. G. V. Chandrashekhar, L. M. Foster, Solid State Commun. 27, 269 (1978).https://doi.org/SSCOA4
18. F. G. Will, J. Electrochem. Soc. 123, 834 (1976).
19. T. Kaneda, J. B. Bates, J. C. Wang, H. Engstrom, Mat. Res. Bull. 14, 1053 (1979).
20. R. D. Armstrong, D. P. Sellick, Electrochem. Acta 25, 1199 (1980).
21. B. Dunn, J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 64, 125 (1981).https://doi.org/JACTAW
22. N. J. Dudney, J. B. Bates, J. C. Wang, Phys. Rev. B 24, 6831 (1981).
23. M. S. Whittingham, Prog. Solid State Chem. 12, 41 (1978); https://doi.org/PSSTAW
D. W. Murphy, P. A. Christian, Science 205, 651 (1979).https://doi.org/SCIEAS

More about the Authors

John B. Bates. Union Carbide Corporation.

Jia‐Chao Wang. Union Carbide Corporation.

Nancy J. Dudney. Union Carbide Corporation.