Influence of Processing Parameters on the Properties of PZT Materials

Abstract

Bulk PZT materials of composition near the morphotrophic phase boundary are obtained by conventional solid state reaction of the starting oxides. The combination of either donor or acceptor dopants allows the improvement of the electromechanical properties and tailoring the material to the specific application. Reliability and reproducibility are still critical points for these complex systems and careful control of every processing parameter from raw materials purity and granulometry to the intermediate steps of mixing and homogenisation must be assessed. The powder processing steps are examined and examples of the effects of different processing on the electromechanical properties are discussed. An improvement on milling of agglomerates after solid state reaction of the oxides affects the liquid phase formation during sintering and hence the fmal microstructure with consequent substantially different fmal properties.