Effects of cesium addition on the properties of Na+-β/β"-alumina solid electrolyte

Cesium-doped BASEs were prepared from the calculation result that cesium atoms added to sodium–beta–alumina solid electrolyte (BASE) lower the binding energy between sodium and BASE, which can improve the wettability of molten sodium in the anode in Na/NiCl2 batteries; and changes in their properties, such as ionic conductivity, were studied. Cesium with the same crystal structure as sodium (bcc) and equivalent electron configuration ([Xe]6s1) was dissolved in the BASE crystal structure up to 5.0 wt% of Cs2O content to form Na+–β/β"–Al2O3. At up to 3.0 wt%, the properties were not significantly affected; however, when the Cs2O content was added above that, the crystal phase formation and relative sintered density were degraded, and the ionic conductivities were lowered.