Enhanced ionic transport properties and cubic phase stability in Sm2O3 co‐doped ScSZ ceramics

Abstract In this work, we reexamine Sm 2 O 3 co‐doping in scandia‐stabilized zirconia (ScSZ) ceramics to assess its effectiveness for the stabilization of the cubic phase and to contribute to the understanding of the electrical properties of these materials. Sm 2 O 3 co‐doped ScSZ ceramics with a composition of ZrO 2 ‒10 mol% Sc 2 O 3 ‒1 mol% Sm 2 O 3 (1Sm‒10ScSZ) were prepared via mechanochemically assisted solid‐state reaction, using sintering temperatures ranging from 1100°C to 1500°C and high‐energy milling times up to 60 min. In this way, it was possible to evaluate the influence of the processing parameters on the stabilization of the cubic polymorph, as well as on the microstructural and electrical properties of the resulting ceramics. Despite limited previous attention to this oxide, our results demonstrate that Sm 2 O 3 is an effective co‐dopant for ScSZ solid electrolytes, as they fully retain the cubic phase at room temperature and exhibit high bulk and grain‐boundary ionic conductivities.