Mechanochemical synthesis of lead zirconate titanate from mixed oxides

Abstract

High-density lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics have been successfully prepared by using a novel mechanochemical fabrication technique, which skips the phase-forming calcination at an intermediate temperature that is always required in the industrial processes currently in use. The fabrication technique starts with mixing of the low-cost industrial oxide powders, and the designed PZT perovskite phase is formed by reacting the oxide constituents in a mechanochemical chamber that consists of a cylindrical alumina vial and one stainless-steel ball inside it. The solid-state reaction among constituent oxides is activated via mechanical energy instead of high temperature. When mechanochemically activated for 20 h, an ultrafine PZT powder of perovskite structure with a minimized degree of particle agglomeration is obtained. The resulting PZT powder sinters to 99.0% of theoretical density at 1100°C for 1 h. The sintered PZT ceramic exhibits a dielectric constant of 1340 and a dielectric loss of 0.6% at a frequency of 1 kHz at room temperature.