SOLID STATE IONICS

  Solid State Ionics is an interdisciplinary branch of Science and Technology. It deals with ionically conducting Solid or Semi-solid materials in the form of inorganic crystalline solids, ceramics, composites, polymers and glasses with potential applications in numerous solid state devices such as solid state batteries, fuel cells, electrochromic displays and gas sensors.

                 There are a number of basic techniques employed in measuring relevant parameters of fast ionic conduction in solids. Frequency - dependent conductivity measurements, scattering methods(X-ray and neutron scattering) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) are some of the methods of characterization of super ionic materials. The study and characterization of the super ionic materials involve a number of experimental techniques which provide insight into the microscopic or macroscopic properties of these materials.  The most elegant and powerful way to determine the electrical conductivity is impedance Spectroscopy. Solid State Ionics involves materials having different morphologies which include single crystals, powder specimen, thin film, composites and amorphous solids.

                   Solid electrolytes are also known as fast ionic conductors or super ionic conductors. A large variety of fast ionic materials, exhibiting Li, Na , Ag , Cu , F ionic migration have been reported. The feasibility of miniaturization and thin film configuration is also an attractive feature of solid electrolytes. The development of polymer electrolytes assumes greater significance.

                 High ionic conductivity, low electronic conductivity, low activation energy of migration, chemical and electrochemical compatibility are some of the characteristic features of fast ionic conductors. The nature of the mobile ion has determined the anode material in solid state batteries.

                 A number of electronic devices enpowered by microwatt power sources have been developed. Cells for heart pacemakers, standby power sources for CMOS solid state memory devices are a few examples which are microwatt power devices.

               X-ray diffraction. Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Infrared Spectroscopy, Complex Impedance Analysis, Conductivity and modulus spectroscopies and thermoelectric power measurements have been employed as the experimental techniques in the study of Solid State Ionics in order to investigate the structural, thermal and transport properties of the various super ionic materials.