Electrical and Electrochemical Characterisation of Sol-Gel Prepared Magnesium Hafnium Phosphate Solid Electrolyte for Magnesium-Sensors

Magnesium hafnium phosphate, MgHf4P6O24 solid electrolyte with an alkali 8.9 pH was produced using the sol-gel process. Electrical and electrochemical characterisation of the solid electrolyte were determined. TGA-DSC analysis indicated that the dried xerogel powder, when calcined at 900 oC for 3 h converts to single phase MgHf4P6O24 solid electrolyte nanopowders. Pellets of 13 mm diameter and 3.8 mm thickness made by uniaxial compression were sintered at 1300 oC for 24 h. The platinium-cured pellets exhibited ionic conductivity of 4.52 x 10-4 Scm-1 and activation energy of 0.74 0.02 eV at 747 oC. The electrical and electrochemical properties of this sol-gel prepared solid electrolyte together with the reference electrode, MgCr2O4+Cr2O3+O2 biphasic powder mixture, finds suitable applications in Mg-sensors and other electrochemical devices.