Characterization of nanostructured Ce_0.8Sm_0.2O _2-δ prepared by pulsed current activated sintering

Dense nanophase Ce_0.8Sm_0.2O_2-δ was sintered by a pulsed current activated sintering method within 6 minutes from Ce_0.8Sm_0.2O_2-δ nanopowder synthesized by a co-precipitation method. Sintering was accomplished under the combined effect of a pulsed current and mechanical pressure. Highly dense Ce _0.8Sm_0.2O_2-δ with a relative density of up to 97% was obtained by pulsed current activated sintering with a heating rate of 200 K · minute^-1 under a pressure of 80 MPa at 1300 °C. The hardness and fracture toughness of the sample sintered at 1300 °C were about 740 kg/mm² and 1.5MPa·m^1/2, respectively. The grain boundary conductivity was relatively smaller than the gram interior conductivity.