Room-temperature synthesis and conductivity of the pyrochlore type Dy2(Ti1−yZry)2O7 (0⩽y⩽1) solid solution

Different compositions in a solid solution of general formula Dy2(Ti1−yZry)2O7, showing high oxygen ion conductivity, have been successfully prepared at room temperature via mechanochemical synthesis. Stoichiometric mixtures of the constituent oxides were dry milled together in a planetary ball mill by using zirconia vials and balls. Chemical changes in the powder mixtures as a function of composition and milling time were followed by X-ray diffraction and revealed that, in all cases and after milling for 19 h, the powder mixtures consisted of a single phase. Electrical properties were measured on sintered pellets as a function of frequency, temperature and zirconium content, revealing an increase in conductivity of more than one order of magnitude for y ⩾ 0.4 , which, as observed in the similar Y2(Ti1−yZry)2O7, has been related with the onset of disordering of the anion sublattice. Despite increasing structural disorder with increasing Zr content, conductivity remains almost constant for y > 0.6 , reaching a maximum value of ∼5×10−3 for Dy2Zr2O7 at 900 °C.