Wet chemical synthesis and structural analysis of high-entropy perovskite oxide nanoparticles for energy-related applications.

Abstract

In this work we synthesised high-entropy (HE), perovskite oxide nanoparticles (NPs) based on the cubic SrTiO3 with the addition of Ca, Mn, Nb, Ta, and/or N (chosen for low toxicity and sustainability) via a simple hydrothermal method. Characterisation of the as-synthesised NPs confirmed that all elements entered the crystal lattice in a solid solution and band gap control was achieved through the addition of Mn or N. The NPs were sintered into pellets for the measurement of the electrical (σ) and thermal (κ) conductivities of the sintered bodies. Ca inclusion was found to have a stabilising effect on the lattice, preventing the formation of secondary phases, while Ta and Nb both increased σ, though the story was complicated by the emergence of nanoscale and microscale precipitates. HE effects were discovered to have a significant role in reducing κ, with a low value of 0.8 W m-1 K-1 for the HE sample. We hope this report will provide researchers in multiple fields with a useful tool or building block for the development of sustainable, oxide based energy materials.

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