Role of SrMoO4 in Sr2MgMoO6 synthesis

Here we investigate the elemental and phase compositions during the solid-state synthesis of the promising SOFC-anode material, Sr₂MgMoO₆, and demonstrate that molybdenum does not notably evaporate under the normal synthesis conditions with temperatures up to 1200 °C due to the formation of SrMoO₄ as an intermediate product at low temperatures, below 600 °C. However, partial decomposition of the Sr₂MgMoO₆ phase becomes evident at the higher temperatures (∼1500 °C). The effect of SrMoO₄ on the electrical conductivity of Sr₂MgMoO₆ is evaluated by preparing a series of Sr₂MgMoO₆ samples with different amounts of additional SrMoO₄. Under the reducing operation conditions of an SOFC anode the insulating SrMoO₄ phase is apparently reduced to the highly conductive SrMoO₃ phase. Percolation takes place with 20-30 wt% of SrMoO₄ in a Sr₂MgMoO₆ matrix, with a notable increase in electrical conductivity after reduction. Conductivity values of 14, 60 and 160 S/cm are determined at 800 °C in 5% H₂/Ar for the Sr₂MgMoO₆ samples with 30, 40 and 50 wt% of added SrMoO₄, respectively.