P. Duran et al., Sintering behavior and electrical properties of nanosized doped-ZnO powders produced by metallorganic polymeric processing, J AM CERAM, 84(8), 2001, pp. 1661-1668
Homogeneous and nanosized (28 nm crystallite size) doped-ZnO ceramic powder
s were obtained by a metallorganic polymeric method. Calcining and granulat
ing resulted in green compacts with uniform powder packing and a narrow por
e-size distribution (pore size 19 nm). Dense ceramic bodies (> 99% of theor
etical) were fabricated by normal liquid-phase sintering at 850 degrees and
940 degreesC for 1-5 h. Apparently, the low pore-coordination number allow
ed a uniform filling of the small pores by the liquid formed in the early s
tages of sintering, and, consequently, high shrinkage and rapid densificati
on occurred in a short temperature interval (825 degrees -850 degreesC). At
these sintering temperatures, limited grain growth occurred, and the grain
size was maintained at <1 mum. Ceramics so-fabricated showed a nonlinear c
oefficient, alpha, of greater than or equal to 70, and a breakdown voltage,
V-b (1 mA/cm(2)), of greater than or equal to 1500 V/mm. The high electric
al performance of the doped-ZnO dense ceramics was attributed to liquid-pha
se recession on cooling, which enhanced the ZnO-ZnO direct contacts and the
potential barrier effect.