Synthesis of ceria-based electrolyte nanometric powders by urea-combustion technique

Ceria-doped electrolytes have been extensively studied because they are promising candidates for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (ITSOFCs). In this work, the powder synthesis by the urea-combustion technique is used. The combustion synthesis is a really suitable synthesis route to achieve, at low temperatures, finely, homogeneous, and reactive powders for ceria-based electrolytes. This work describes the combustion synthesis of binary and ternary compositions of the (CeO₂)_0.92(Ln₂O₃)_0.04(CaO)_0.04 systems, being Ln = Y, Gd and Sm. The characterisation of the as-prepared combustion products showed that the combustion synthesis provides a straightforward method for the achievement of solid solutions of these materials as nanometric powder.