Electrotransport in the La2NiO4-based solid solutions

Abstract

Abstract This work combines new and earlier obtained results on electron hole and oxygen-ion transport in the La2NiO4-based solid solutions. The effect of lanthanum substitution with Ca/Sr and nickel with Fe, Mn, Co or Cu on transport properties of La2− x A x Ni1− y Me y O4+δ was analyzed and discussed at different substitution levels. Besides the changes in concentration and mobility of electron holes induced by the doping with cations of different nature, the partial transformation of Ni3+ from low-spin to high-spin state was shown to have a profound effect on transport properties of these materials leading to a notable decrease in mobility of electron holes, especially in the strontium-rich oxides. The obtained results suggested that the size factor was the main driving force behind the observed transformation of Ni3+. The oxygen-ion transport in La2− x A x Ni1− y Me y O4+δ was characterized by significant surface exchange limitations, which can be reduced only at relatively high concentrations of strontium and iron, and should be taken into account while evaluating the ionic conductivity by means of oxygen permeation or the modified Hebb-Wagner polarization method.