Effect of the Nature of Chemical Reagents on the Formation of Nano-Sized Piezoceramics of Lead Zirconate-Titanate

Abstract

The effect of the initial chemical reagents on the synthesis and sintering of lead zirconate-titanate has been investigated. The initial components underwent preliminary mechanical activation in a ball planetary-centrifugal mill. The initial components were titanium oxides TiO₂ as rutile and anatase and TiO as nanosized powder, monoclinic zirconium oxide ZrO₂, lead oxides as orthorhombic PbO and tetragonal PbO, Pb₃O₄, PbO₂ as well as pure metals, i.e., zirconium and titanium. The possibility to obtain lead zirconate-titanate as early as during mechanical activation of samples was demonstrated. In some systems, cubic lead oxide Pb₂O is formed during mechanical activation; then it disappears completely at annealing at 400°C. Changes in the structure and chemical composition of samples during annealing were investigated. The final formation of the lead zirconate-titanate structure occurs at the annealing of samples in the temperature range 1000°C to 1100°C depending on the initial components. The formation of nanodispersed structure with the grain size 10 to 40 nm was demonstrated by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope (TEM).

Keywords:

• Lead zirconate-titanate
• Mechanochemical synthesis
• Piezoceramics
• Sintering
• Solid solution