摘要 |
An hydronium polycrystalline superionic conductor, having the formula (H3O<+>, Na<+>)5(Re)Si4O12, where Re = Y or Gd, is produced from precursor material being Na5YSi4O12 or Na5GdSi4O12. In order to accomplish the aforesaid a range of intermediate ceramics may be produced replacing part of the precursor ceramic sodium by ions of elements in 1A group of the Periodic Table that have an atomic weight above 32 and preferably ions of potassium, cesium, or mixtures of potassium and cesium. To produce the superionic hydronium polycrystalline ceramic conductor and the intermediate ceramic from the feed ceramics aforesaid, the feed ceramic is placed in a chloride melt wherein part of the sodium in the feed ceramic lattice is replaced by an appropriate cation from the melt such as potassium and cesium. Subsequently, a field assisted ionic exchange takes place to now replace the interceded potassium and cesium ions with the hydronium (H3O<+>) ion, whereby the aforesaid hydronium, superionic, solid polycrystalline ceramic conductor is achieved. |