Effect of drying temperature on structure, phase transformation of sol-gel-derived lead zirconate titanate powders

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) (53/47) powders were prepared by a cheating acetate sol-gel process. The drying temperature effect on crystallization behavior was conducted to determine the best conditions for preparing high content of perovskite PZT powders in the morphotropic region. DSC/TG analysis, Fr-IR spectrum and X-ray diffraction were carried out to identify the reaction sequences and calculated the activation energy of every transition temperature during the drying procedures. In the present work, well-crystallized, single-phase perovskite PZT powders were obtained after drying PZT stock solution at 300 degrees C for 1 h, then heat treatment at 600 degrees C for 30 min. The dependence of this crystallization temperature on the drying conditions was discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.