Data on physical and electrical properties of (ZrO2)1-x(Sc2O3)x(CeO2)y and (ZrO2)1-x-y-z(Sc2O3)x(CeO2)y(Y2O3)z solid solution crystals

The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled “Phase stability and transport characteristics of (ZrO2)1-x(Sc2O3)x(СeO2)y and (ZrO2)1-x-y-z(Sc2O3)x(СeO2)y(Y2O3)z solid solution crystals” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352340917302329 [1]. It contains data on densities and microhardness of the as-grown crystals. The data on the specific conductivity of the as-grown and annealing at 1000 °С for 400 h ScCeSZ and ScCeYSZ crystals in the temperature range 623–1173 K is also included in this article. The article describes also the growth of the (ZrO2)1-x(Sc2O3)x(СeO2)y and (ZrO2)1-x-y-z(Sc2O3)x(СeO2)y(Y2O3)z solid solution crystals using directional melt crystallization in a cold crucible.


Data
This dataset contains information about density, microhardness and specific conductivity of the scandia-ceria-and yttria-stabilized zirconia. Table 1 shows the chemical composition, brief notations, densities and microhardness of the as-grown crystals used in the further analysis. Table 2 shows the specific conductivity of the as-grown and annealing at 1000 С for 400 h ScCeSZ and ScCeYSZ crystals in the temperature range 973e1173 K. Arrhenius plot of specific bulk conductivity of as-grown and asannealed crystals ScCeSZ is shown in Fig. 1. The same plot for as-grown and as-annealed crystals ScCeYSZ is shown in Fig. 2.

Experimental design, materials, and methods
All of the samples having nominal composition (ZrO 2 ) 1-x (Sc 2 O 3 ) x (СeO 2 ) y (x ¼ 0.085e0.10; y ¼ 0.005e0.015) and (ZrO 2 ) 1-x-y-z (Sc 2 O 3 ) x (СeO 2 ) y (Y 2 O 3 ) z (x ¼ 0.07e0.10; y ¼ 0.005e0.010; z ¼ 0.005e0.020) were prepared by directional melt crystallization in a cold crucible. ZrO 2 , Sc 2 O 3 , СeO 2 , and Y 2 O 3 powders of not less than 99.99 % purity grade were the initial materials. The crystallization of the melt was carried out in a water-cooled crucible 130 mm in diameter. The RF generator (frequency 5.28 MHz, maximum output power 60 kW) was used as a power source. The charge weight was 5 kg. The directional crystallization of the melt was achieved by moving the crucible with the melt downward relative to the induction coil at a 10 mm/h rate. The weight of the ingots was 3.5e4.0 kg. After the installation was shut down the ingot cooled down spontaneously. The cooling of the ingots was monitored by measuring the temperature on the surface of the upper heat screen with a Gulton 900e1999 radiation pyrometer (above 1000 C) and a Pt/Pt-Rh thermocouple (1000 C down to 500 C). The average ingot cooling rate from the melt temperature to 1000 C was 150e200 K/min and then down to 500 C with 30 K/min. The process yielded ingots consisting of column crystals that could be mechanically separated into individual crystals. Typical dimensions of the crystals were 8e15 mm in cross-section and 30e40 mm in length.

Subject area
Materials Science More specific subject area

Solid state electrolyte
Type of data Table, graph How data was acquired Hydrostatic weighing -Sartorius hydrostatic balance (Switzerland) The microhardness -DM 8 В AUTO microhardness tester (Affri, Italy) with a 50 g load. The impedance spectroscopy -Solartron SI 1260 frequency analyzer (Solartron Analytical, United Kingdom)

Data format
Raw, filtered and analyzed. Experimental factors The crystals were annealed in a Supertherm HT04/16 high-temperature resistance furnace in air at 1000 C for 400 h.

Experimental features
All crystals were grown by directional melt crystallization in a cold crucible [2] Data source location Moscow, Russia Data accessibility Data are available with this paper Value of the data The data on oxygen/ionic conductivity of the (ZrO 2 ) 1-x (Sc 2 O 3 ) x (СeO 2 ) y and (ZrO 2 ) 1-x-y-z (Sc 2 O 3 ) x (СeO 2 ) y (Y 2 O 3 ) z solid solution crystals is very useful for development solid state electrolytes for SOFCs. The data on high-temperature degradation of conductivity to get more depth information about ionic conduction mechanism in solid state electrolytes. The present data could be helpful for researchers involved in the crystal growth of the high temperature materials.
The as grown crystals were then annealed in a Supertherm HT04/16 high-temperature resistance furnace in air at 1000 C for 400 h.
The conductivity of the zirconia base crystals was measured in the 400e900 C range using a Solartron SI 1260 frequency analyzer in the 1 Hze5 MHz range. The resistivity was measured in a measurement cell using the four-probe method in a Nabertherm high temperature furnace (Nabertherm GmbH. Germany). The measurements were carried out on crystal plates size of 7 Â 7 mm 2 and thickness of 0.5 mm with symmetrically connected Pt electrodes. Platinum electrodes were annealed in air at the temperature 950 C for 1 h. The ac amplitude applied to the sample was 24 mV. The impedance frequency spectrum was analyzed in detail using the ZView (ver.2.8) (Scribner Associates Inc., USA) software. The resistivity of the crystals was calculated based on the resultant impedance Table 1 Chemical composition, brief notations, densities and microhardness of the as-grown crystals. Part of the data is already published in Ref. [1].  Table 2 The specific conductivity of the as-grown and annealing ScCeSZ and ScCeYSZ crystals in the temperature range 973e1173 K.   spectra and then the specific conductivities of the crystals were calculated taking into account the specimen dimensions.