The role of cation ordering and disordering on mass transport in complex oxides
Cortney R. Kreller, Blas P. Uberuaga
Abstract
Mass transport is one of the most fundamental properties of a material and dictates its potential use for a range of applications. In simple materials, mass transport is determined by migration of point defects along simple and well defined pathways. When considering complex oxides, however, new considerations arise that complicate both our understanding and our ability to describe mass transport. Chemical disorder, the mixing of cations across different sublattices, is one of these considerations. This disorder leads to a complex potential energy landscape that impacts both the thermodynamics and kinetics of the defects responsible for mass transport through the material. We review the recent literature to highlight new insights that have been revealed by both experiment and computational modeling about the coupling between disorder and transport. We highlight points of agreement and disagreement. Our survey raises open scientific questions about our understanding of this coupling which, if answered, provide new possibilities for tailoring functionality in these materials.