Electrical Conductivity and Structural Studies on the Binary System BiI3-Ag2SO4

Abstract

A new solid-state pseudo binary system BiI3_-Ag2SO4 involving bismuth triiodide (BiI3) and a silver oxysalt namely silver sulphate (Ag2SO4) has been prepared using rapid melt-quenching technique. AC conductivity studies have been carried out on the nine different samples of the (BiI3)x –- (Ag2SO4)(1-x) system with compositions corresponding to x=0.1,0.2,0.3,0.4,0.5,0.6,0.7,0.8 and 0.9 mole fraction at temperatures ranging from room temperature (298 K) to 433K. The bulk resistance values estimated using complex impedance plots indicated that electrical conductivity of the synthesized solid specimens would vary from 2.9 x10-2 to 3.4 x10-6Scm-1 thus suggesting the present system to be ionic in nature. The extent of ionic conduction due to Ag + cation has also been analyzed using Wagner’s dc polarization technique whereas detailed structural characteristics of the various compositions derived from Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and features of surface morphology of these samples obtained using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have further supported the ionic nature of the chosen system and suggested possible application as a solid electrolyte in electrochemical devices.