A new series of Zr1-xMgxP2O7 (x=0.00, 0.03, 0.06, 0.09, and 0.12) ceramic samples were prepared by solid-state reaction method. The ceramic samples of x=0.00-0.09 exhibited a single phase structure, and the doping limit of Mg2+ in ZrP2O7 was at least x=0.09. Densification increased with increasing of Mg2+ doping level, the highest relative density reached 97.1% for the sample of x=0.09. The conduction in ceramic samples was investigated electrochemically at 300-600 degrees C. Among the ceramic samples studied, the highest conductivity was observed for the sample of Zr0.91Mg0.09P2O7 to be 1.34 x 10(-4) S.cm(-1) in unhumidified air and 1.08 x 10(-4) S.cm(-1) in unhumidified hydrogen at 600 degrees C. For the sample of Zr0.91Mg0.09P2O7, the conductivity was nearly independent of oxygen pressure, p(O2), in the range of 1-10(-22) atm, and the ionic transference numbers were close to unity, indicating that the ceramic sample was almost a pure ionic conductor under both oxidizing and reducing atmospheres. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.