Proton Movement Model in Crystals

(Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, June 21, 2017)

Researchers from Empa have shown experimentally that the polaron model of electron movement in crystal lattices also applies to hydrogen ions, or protons. The polaron model hypothesizes that protons jump from one location in the crystal lattice to the next. The experiment used barium ceric oxide crystal, which is non-conductive in a dry environment but becomes conductive when exposed to a steam environment. The experiment characterized conductivity at temperatures between 220 and 520 degrees Celsius and at a range of pressures. The results of this research will help choose materials for fuel cells and characterize the effectiveness of ceramic insulators.