Microstructural and optical characterization of PZT nanopowder prepared at low temperature

Lead zirconate titanate Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 or (PZT) ceramics are of great technological interestdue to their excellent piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties. In general, the PZT ceramics are processed by the traditional solid state reaction. However, there are undesirable features such as nanstoichiometry, compositional fluctuation and poor microstructure because of the high temperature processes [1]. Therefore, it is necessary to process PZT ceramic at a temperature as low as possible. Low firing temperature processing in ceramic fabrication demands fine precursor powders of high homogeneity of components mixing. Nanosized PZT precursor powder fabrication is of a special interest to sinter fine-grained piezo ceramics without ferroelectric property degradation [2, 3]. Chemical methods such as coprecipitation and alkoxide sol-gel process were applied for the synthesis of PZT ceramic [4]. In this paper, the synthesis and optical properties of single phase PZT powders by sol-gel combustion technique is discussed. The synthetic process was employed in the present.