Production and Properties of Nanostructured Metal-Oxide Lead Zirconate-Titanate Piezoceramics

Abstract

Compact ceramic samples of lead zirconate-titanate are produced by sintering nano-crystalline (d_av = 25 nm) Pb(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)0₃ powder synthesized by thermal decomposition of oxalate precursor. Conditions of nanopowder cold compaction have been found, kinetics of sintering and growth of nanoscale crystallites and larger grains formed during consolidation have been studied. The lead zirconate-titanate ceramic specimens consolidated from na-nopowders are sintered at lower (by 300-350 °C) temperatures and have higher (by 25-45%) dielectric and piezoelectric properties as compared to samples fabricated by conven-tional solid-state technology. Two-level grain structure is formed during sintering: nanoscale crystallites divided with low-angle boundaries and descending from initial particles ofnano-crystalline powder and also consolidated larger microscale grains separated with high-angle boundaries. Sintering of the lead zirconate-titanate ceramics from nanocrystalline powders gives a tool to control nanoscale size of crystallites and, in this way, nanostructured features of consolidated material.