Nanosized PbZrO3 Powder from Oxalate Precursor: Microwave-Aided Synthesis and Thermal Characterization

Nanosized lead zirconate (PbZrO3) powder was synthesized from its oxalate precursor, namely lead zirconyl oxalate (LZO). LZO heated in a microwave heating system for 1 h yielded the PbZrO3 at 600 degrees C. The same precursor (LZO), when heated in a resistance-heated furnace at 850 degrees C for 3 h, does not give a pure product. Thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, and X-ray diffraction techniques were used to characterize the precursor and optimize the conditions for microwave processing. The particle size of PbZrO3 powder prepared at 600 degrees C using microwave heating was measured using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TEM images show that the particles of PbZrO3 are spherical in shape and that the particle size varies between 20 and 22 nm.