Specific Heat of Cubic Phase of Protonic Conductor SrZrO3

Abstract

Strontium zirconate belongs to ABO₃ perovskite oxides family and based on their potential applications, this material is attracting interest because of its chemical and mechanical stability at high temperatures as well as their high protonic conductivity. The perovskites SrZrO₃ have also been studied extensively as they are end-members of the grey phase that is observed as a precipitate in spent nuclear uranium oxide fuel. It is therefore knowledge of the thermal properties of the end member compounds of this grey phase is thus of importance. Since most of the applications of SrZrO₃ are taking place at high temperature at which strontium zirconate exist in cubic phase. Hence in the present study we have studied phonon density of states and specific heat of SrZrO₃ in its high temperature cubic phase by applying lattice dynamical theoretical model. The calculated results are interpreted with existing experimental results.