Materials Transactions, Vol.48 No.01 (2007) pp.58-63
© 2007 The Japan Institute of Metals

Microstructures and Electrical Properties of Ru-C Nano-Composite Films by PECVD

Masato Sakata, Teiichi Kimura and Takashi Goto

Ruthenium-Carbon (Ru-C) nano-composite films were prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and the effects of deposition conditions on the microstructure and electrical properies were investigated. The films consisted of agglomerated grains of 10 to 20 nm in diameter, in which Ru particles of 2.5 to 3.5 nm in diameter were dispersed in a C matrix. The C content of the films was about 90 vol%. The electrical properties of Ru-C nano-composite films as a catalytic electrode for an yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) solid electrolyte were evaluated by AC impedance spectroscopy. The interfacial electrical conductivity at the Ru-C/YSZ interface was 0.2× 10^-3 Sm^-1 at 500 K and increased with increasing temperature. The activation energy of the interfacial electrical conductivity was about 70 kJ/mol, implying an oxygen diffusion limited process at the interface.

(Received 2006/7/28; Accepted 2006/11/15; Published 2006/12/25)

Keywords: ruthenium-carbon nano-composite, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, oxygen sensor, impedance spectroscopy, interfacial conductivity

PDF (Free)

Table of Contents

REFERENCES

1. H. Obayashi and H. Okamoto: Solid State Ionics. 3–4 (1981) 631–634.
2. I. A. Toyashima and G. A. Somorjai: Catal. Rev. Sci. Eng. 19 (1979) 105–113.
3. C. M. Varma and A. J. Wilson: Phys. Rev. B 22 (1980) 3795–3804.
4. M. L. Green, M. E. Gross, L. E. Papa, K. J. Schoes and D. Brase: J. Electrochem. Soc. 132 (1985) 2677–2685.
5. K. C. Smith, Y. M. Sun, N. R. Mettlach, R. L. Hance and J. M. White: Thin Solid Films 376 (2000) 73–81.
6. Y. Senzaki, F. B. McCormick and W. L. Gladfelter: Chem. Mater. 4 (1992) 747–749.
7. W. Y. Cheng, L. S. Hong, J. C. Jiang, Y. Chi and C. C. Lin: Thin Solid Films 483 (2005) 31–37.
8. H. Schulz: Appl. Catal. A 186 (1999) 71–90.
9. O. Hinrichsen, F. Rosowski, M. Muhler and G. Ertl: Chem. Eng. Sci. 51 (1996) 1683–1690.
10. J. A{ß}mann, E. Löffler, A. Birkner and M. Muhler: Catal. Today 85 (2003) 235–249.
11. J. Ding, K. U. Chan, J. Ren and F. S. Xiao: Electrochim. Acta. 50 (2005) 3131–3141.
12. C. C. Chien and K. T. Jeng: Mater. Chem. Phys., in press.
13. K. T. Jeng, C. C. Chien, N. Y. Hsu, S. C. Yen, S. D. Chiou, S. H. Lin and W. M. Huang: J. Power Sources, in press.
14. C. Lim, R. G. Allen and K. Scott: J. Power Sources, in press.
15. Z. Kowalczyk, S. Jodzis and J. Sentek: Appl Catal. A: General 138 (1996) 83–91.
16. T. Goto, T. Ono and T. Hirai: Scripta Mater. 44 (2001) 1187–1190.
17. T. Kimura, G. Suzuki and T. Goto: J. Metastable Nanocrystal. Mater. 24–25 (2005) 589–592.
18. H. Borchert, E. V. Shevchenko, A. Robert, I. Mekis, A. Kornowski, G. Grübel and H. Weller: Langmuir 21 (2005) 1931–1936.
19. B. Folkesson: Acta Chem. Scand. 27 (1973) 287–302.
20. Y. Baer, P. F. Hedén, J. Hedman, M. Klasson, C. Nordling and K. Siegbahm: Phys. Scr. 1 (1970) 55–65.
21. D. N. Hendrickson, J. M. Hollander and W. L. Jolly: Inorg. Chem. 9 (1970) 612–615.
22. J. H. Scofield: J. of Electron Spectrosc. and Relat. Phenom. 8 (1976) 129–137.
23. J. E. Bauerle: J. Phys. Chem. Solids. 30 (1969) 2657–2670.
24. N. Matsui: Surf. Sci. 86 (1979) 353–358.
25. J. T. S. Irvine, D. C. Sinclair and A. R. West: Adv. Mater. 2 (1990) 132–138.
26. E. Schouler and M. Kleitz: J. Electroanal. Chem. 64 (1975) 135–142.
27. S. P. S. Badwal and H. J. de Bruin: Phys. Stat. Sol. (a) 54 (1979) 261–270.
28. S. P. Yoon, S. W. Nam, S. G. Kim, S. A. Hong and S. H. Hyun: J. Power Sources 115 (2003) 27–34.

© 2007 The Japan Institute of Metals
Comments to us : editjt@jim.or.jp