The effect of the mean grain size upon the properties of Co-substituted bismuth vanadate, Bi2V0.9Co0.1O5.35, was studied. The influence of experimental conditions such as the sintering temperature and duration, and the O partial pressure, upon the resultant density was evaluated by means of dilatometric measurements. The grain-size dependence of the electrical properties was studied by means of impedance spectroscopy. It was shown that a characteristic hysteresis, which resulted in a significant decrease in the ionic conductivity below about 450C, was suppressed if the grain size was small enough.

BICOVOX: Sintering and Grain Size Dependence of the Electrical Properties. M.C.Steil, J.Fouletier, M.Kleitz, P.Labrune: Journal of the European Ceramic Society, 1999, 19[6-7], 815-8