Effect of heat treatment time on the transport properties of nano-crystallized Li2O–Na2O–V2S5–P2S5 glass–ceramics

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Materials science & processing, 2023-06, Vol.129 (6), Article 425
• Main Authors: Al-Syadi, A. M., Abaker, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Activation energy; Applied physics; Ceramics; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Crystal growth; Crystallization; Emission analysis; Emission spectra; Field emission microscopy; Glass ceramics; Grain boundaries; Heat treating; Heat treatment; Lithium oxides; Machines; Manufacturing; Materials science; Nanocrystals; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Processes; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thin Films; Transport properties
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-023-06702-1

The structural and electrical characteristics of the glassy system with the chemical formula (18.75Li 2 O–18.75Na 2 O–25V 2 S 5 –37.5P 2 S 5 mol%) and its nano-crystallized glass–ceramics have been investigated. The glass sample was prepared via the conventional melt-quenching technique. The corresponding nano-crystallized glass–ceramics were prepared via a heat treatment (HT) procedure at 405 °C for diverse times in the air. The effect of HT time on nanostructure and the dc conductivity for the nano-crystallized glass–ceramics were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectra and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images confirmed the amorphous nature of the as-synthesized glass and the growth of nano-crystals after heat treatment within the glassy matrix. The nano-crystallized glass–ceramics exhibited considerably higher conductivity and lower activation energy than the initial glass. Furthermore, the dc conductivity was improved by nearly 57 times in the nano-crystallized glass–ceramic samples as compared with the initial glass. The activation energy was improved by utilizing the HT process and was found to be 0.535 eV for the as-prepared glass and between 0.272 and 0.462 eV for the corresponding nano-crystallized glass–ceramics. The dc conductivity increased with decreasing crystalline size in the case of nano-crystallized glass–ceramics, which may be accredited to the reduction in grain boundary scattering brought on by the smaller particle size. The conduction mechanism was emphasized to follow the non-adiabatic small polaron hopping (SPH).