Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 October 2011
In nano-crystalline ceramics, the grain boundary volume fraction is large relative to that in micro-crystalline materials and can therefore become the dominant factor in determining its electrical, chemical, and mechanical properties. Reduced enthalpies of defect formation for nanocrystalline Pr0.1Ce0.9O2-δ , derived from thermo-gravimetric and impedance spectroscopy measurements, are reported. In addition, observations of cerium carbonate formation on nanoporous materials and implications for thermo-gravimetric analysis are discussed.