Thermal and physical properties of 30SrO-40SiO₂-20B₂O₃-10A₂ O₃ (A = La, Y, Al) glasses and their chemical reaction with bismuth vanadate for SOFC

SiO₂-B₂O₃-SrO-A₂ O₃ (A = Y, La, Al) based glasses were investigated for their physical and thermal properties by density measurements and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The crystallization activation energies were determined by using variable heating rates in DTA. The chemical interaction studies of these glasses with Bi₄V_1.8Al_0.2O₁₁ electrolyte were also performed at 800 °C for different heat treatment durations. During chemical interaction in all the samples SrVSi₂O₇ phase has formed. However, its volume fraction depends on the chemical nature of the modifiers used in glass and duration of heat treatment. Apart from SrVSi₂O₇ phase, AVO₄ and A₂SiO₅ (A = Y, La, Al, Bi) phases are also present in the glass electrolyte interaction product mass. The formed phases were identified using X-ray diffraction. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has been done to identify the functional group and modification in bond structure and functional group with respect to the heat treatment duration in these samples. The results have been discussed on the basis of field strength of various cations and activation energy of crystallization.