The electrical and structural characteristics of composites of the form, (1-x)MNO3-xSiO2 (where x ranged from 0 to 0.8), were investigated. The addition of highly dispersed silica caused a sharp increase in the conductivity of the composites. The conductivity isotherms had smooth maxima for silica contents of 50 to 70mol%; corresponding to volume fractions of 35 to 57vol%. According to differential scanning calorimetric and X-ray diffraction studies, a metastable amorphous high-conducting phase formed on the MNO3/SiO2 surfaces, with increasing x-value, as a result of interface interaction.

Nanocomposite Ionic Conductors in the System MNO3-SiO2. G.V.Lavrova, V.G.Ponomareva, N.F.Uvarov: Solid State Ionics, 2000, 136-137, 1285-9