Flash-sintering of Co2MnO4 spinel for solid oxide fuel cell applications

We show that cobalt manganese oxide (Co2MnO4) spinel can be sintered (without the application of external pressure) in a few seconds at about similar to 325 C by applying a DC electrical field of 12 5 V cm(-1) by a process known as flash-sintering A transition from normal to flash-sintering occurs when the field is >= 7 5 V cm(-1) The flash sintering phenomenon has also been observed in yam-stabilized zirconia (3YSZ) Together the results for 3YSZ and Co2MnO4 point towards the generality of the process since 3YSZ is an ionic conductor while the spinet is a predominantly electronic conductor The Co2MnO4 spinels are used to protect metals such as stainless steels in solid oxide fuel cells The low temperatures employed in flash sintering can obviate interfacial interdiffusion with the metal substrate in nominal sintering these interfacial reactions can produce deleterious interfacial phases.