Sol-Gel Synthesis and Piezoelectric and Structural Properties of Zr –rich PZT Nanoparticles

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) nanopowders with spherical-shaped morphology, perovskite structure and an average size of 20 nm were successfully synthesized. The prepared PZT nanopowders were characterized by differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray (EDS) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) technique. Single-phase perovskite PZT nanopowders were obtained after heat treatment at a temperature of 700 °C. The effect of calcination temperature on crystal structure of PZT nanopowders has been discussed. Dielectric relaxation of the ferroelectric ceramics could originate from the alternations of the elastic and electric behavior and the movement of the domain walls at high-frequency regions. To determine a piezoelectric property of ceramics, resonant vibration spectrum of samples was measured at room temperature. A relative density of 7.53 g/cm3 was achieved at a sintering temperature of 1150 °C, which is close to the theoretical density (~95%). At higher temperature sint, the density of ceramic samples strongly decreases which can be attributed to the evaporation of excess PbO. The optimum values of piezoelectric constant, electromechanical quality factor and a mechanical quality factor are obtained at Sintering temperature 1150 °C: d33=64 pC/N, Ƙp=0.41 and Qm=34.3.