Development of a new fast ionic system based on antimony iodide and silver phosphate

A series of compositions of the mixed system (SbI(3))(100-x)-(Ag(3)PO(4))(x), where x = 10,20,30,40,50,60,70,80 and 90 mol% have been prepared by melt quench technique and characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ion transference number measurements and electrical conductivity studies involving complex impedance analysis. The room temperature electrical conductivity ( sigma (298)) data have suggested an increase value of conductivity with increasing concentration of the dopant namely, SbI(3) attaining a maximum value of 4.2x10(-3)Scm(-1) in the case of the typical composition having 40 mol % SbI(3). It has also been noticed that the insertion of iodide ions would expand the network resulting in the opened up structure for the favourable migration of Ag(+) ions within Agl, which may be formed due to an ion exchange reaction between SbI(3) and Ag(3)PO(4) in accordance with hard and soft acids and bases (HSAB) principle.