• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.179-184
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• 1995

Sodium superionic conductor (NASICON) compounds were prepared. The effects of sintering temperature and cooling rate on the formation and the distribution of crystalline NASICON and $ZrO_3$ second phase were investigated. In the von Alpen-type composition, the $ZrO_2$ second phase is in thermal equilibrium with the crystalline NASICON above $1320^{\circ}C$, but when cooled through 1260-$1320^{\circ}C$ crystalline NASICON was formed by reaction between $ZrO_2$ and liquid phase. Very slow cooling ($1^{\circ}C$/hr) to $1260^{\circ}C$ from sintering temperature decreased the amount of sodium which prevents the formation of the crystalline NASICON resulted high number of $ZrO_2$ grains near the surface of some sintered bodies. Maximum electrical conductivity of 0.200 ohm-1cm-1 was obtained at $300^{\circ}C$ for well-sintered samples with little $ZrO_3$. On the other hand, low conductivities were obtained for rapid-cooled samples which have less dense microstructure.