The properties of hydrated and nanocrystalline zirconia and the products of their thermal and chemical modification were investigated by means of impedance spectroscopy, ion-exchange potentiometric titration, electron probe X-ray spectral analysis and electron microscopy. It was found that, regardless of the degree of hydration, all of the samples exhibited surface charge transfer. It was shown that, by means of heat treatment, the ion conductivity of the hydrated zirconia could be increased by an order of magnitude or more.

Influence of Thermal Treatment on the Ion Transport Properties of Hydrated Zirconia. V.A.Tarnopolsky, A.D.Aliev, B.R.Churagulov, A.A.Burukhin, S.A.Novikova, A.B.Yaroslavtsev: Solid State Ionics, 2003, 162-163, 225-9