LOW-TEMPERATURE SINTERING AND HIGH-STRENGTH PB(ZR,TI)O-3-MATRIX COMPOSITES INCORPORATING SILVER PARTICLES

Lead zirconate titanate based composites containing silver particles w ere fabricated from commercially available PZT and Ag2O powder mixture s, Densification behavior and mechanical and dielectric properties wer e evaluated as a function of the volume fraction of silver. No unwante d reaction phases between the PZT matrix and silver could be detected in the X-ray diffraction analysis, The added silver particles were hom ogeneously dispersed in the matrix, The densification of PZT was subst antially accelerated by the addition of silver particles, Mechanical p roperties, e.g., fracture toughness and fracture strength, mere improv ed by the addition of silver particles. The relative dielectric consta nt also increased when the volume fraction of silver was increased, Th is observed enhancement in dielectric constant may be associated with the effective dielectric field developed by the existence of conductin g silver particles.