Sol-gel preparation of lead zirconate titanate powders and ceramics: Effect of alkoxide stabilizers and lead precursors

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) (52/48) powders were prepared by a sol-gel pr ocess, using different raw materials to introduce the lead component togeth er with several solvents and chemical modifying agents. A study of the effe ct of these variables on crystallization behavior was conducted to determin e the best conditions for preparing monophasic submicrometer-sized PZT pero vskite powders in the morphotropic region. In the present work, well-crysta llized, submicrometer-sized single-phase perovskite PZT powders were obtain ed after heat treatment at 600 degrees C for 1 h. The dependence of this cr ystallization temperature on the preparation conditions was observed. The s ol-gel-derived submicrometer-sized PZT powders were sintered to similar to 96% of relative density after 2 h at 950 degrees-970 degrees C. The sintere d ceramics exhibited a dielectric permittivity of 1000, a piezoelectric coe fficient of 135 pC.N-1, a remanent polarization of 20 mu C.cm(-2), and a co ercive field of 10.6 kV.cm(-1).