The electrical conductivity of zirconium dioxide films at intermediate temperatures

Abstract

The a.c. electrical conductivity of zirconia has been measured as a function of temperature for various electrode materials. Reproducible results were obtained after the removal of surface conduction effects by heating specimens to a temperature of 180°C. An activation energy of 0·56 ev was found for the conduction process in the temperagure range 250-300°C. Results obtained using an indium electrode may be interpreted in terms of an n-type electronic conduction process. The anomalous results obtained with a silver electrode are explained in terms of the diffusion of silver along grain boundaries.