Fabrication and Characterization of Pure Homogeneous PZT Ceramics from Sol-Gel Derived Powders

In the course of the development of a phenomenological theoretical model for the whole lead zirconate-titanate solid-solution system, it was found that some of the required experimental information was missing. To permit these required measurements, pure homogeneous ceramic samples of specific PZT compositions were fabricated from sol-gel derived powders. This paper describes the preparation and characterization of these required compositions. High-purity lead acetate, titanium isopropoxide, and zirconium n-propoxide were used as precursors to form PZT powders using a sol-gel technique. Powder XRD was used to study in effect of calcining time and temperature from 400 to 900{degree}C. The submicrometer calcined powders were sintered at temperatures from 1,000{degree} to 1,250{degree}C, depending on the composition, into high-density (96% to 97% of the theoretical density) ceramic bodies with uniform microstructure. Excess lead oxide was included in the starting powders to control the lead stoichiometry and to act as a transient liquid phase to facilitate grain growth and densification by eliminating the porosity in the ceramics during sintering.