Na_{1 + x}Al_xGe_{2 - X}P₃O₁₂ (x = 0.5) glass-ceramic as a solid ionic conductor for sodium ion

Sodium-ion conducting glass-ceramics composed of Na_{1 + x}Al_xGe_{2 - x}P₃O₁₂ (x = 0.5) crystalline conducting phase were successfully prepared by heat-treating the parent glass at different temperature and time, and were characterized with DSC, XRD, CV, SEM and alternative current impedance. The relationship between the ionic conductivity and crystallization conditions (time and temperature) of the sodium aluminum germanium phosphate (NAGP) glass-ceramic was investigated. Results show that the NASICON phases containing Al^{3 +} in all these glass-ceramics are isomorphous with NaGe₂P₃O₁₂ and stable against sodium metal. The highest total conductivity of the glass-ceramic material, 9.27 × 10^{- 5} S cm^{- 1} at 140 °C, is obtained by highly crystallizing the glass at 750 °C for 12 h. The reasons for the enhancement of the ionic conductivity in the glass-ceramics are discussed in view of the dependence of microstructure morphology on the heating condition. It could be attributed to its good crystallization of the conductive phase NAGP, uniform grain size and possible optimizing conductive pathway of Na⁺ ions.