Comparing the piezo, pyro and dielectric properties of PZT particles synthesized by sol–gel and electrospinning methods

Abstract

Two different kinds of Lead Zirconate Titanate (Pb (Zr0.52, Ti0.48) O3, PZT) particles (PZT-Ps) were synthesized from a precursor solution composed of Zirconium n-propoxide, Titanium isopropoxide and Lead 2-ethylhexanoate and polyvinyl pyrolidone polymer based on a sol–gel method. Prepared sol was either dried called PZT dried particles (PZT-D-Ps) after calcination and ball milling, or it was electrospun into nanofibers and it was named PZT nanofibers particles (PZT-Nf-Ps) again after calcination and ball milling. Perovskite phase formation in two kinds of PZT-Ps was investigated after calcination at various temperatures (550, 650 and 750 °C for 2 h) and finally they were ball milled to particles. Crystallography of PZT-Ps was investigated by Fourier Transform Inferred spectroscopy (FTIR) beside X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, and their morphology was observed using the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Size distribution of synthesized PZT-Ps was determined by Dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique. Piezoelectric coefficient (d33) and dielectric constant (K) of PZT-Ps were measured and their other piezoelectric constants, such as piezoelectric voltage coefficient (g33) and figure of merit (FOM) were calculated. Finally, the pyroelectric properties of PZT-Ps were determined by changing their temperature suddenly from 0 to 100 °C. Results showed that the diameter of PZT-Ps through two methods i.e. PZT-D-Ps and PZT-Nf-Ps were about 532 nm and 230 nm respectively. After calcination at 550 °C, both crystalline phase i.e. perovskite and pyrochlore were present in all synthesized PZT-Ps simultaneously. With increasing the temperature to 650 °C then 750 °C, the pyrochlore phase was eliminated and the perovskite crystal phase was intensified gradually. Interestingly for PZT-Nf-Ps, the intensity of the perovskite phase was higher than PZT-D-Ps. Dielectric constants for PZT-Nf-Ps and PZT-D-Ps were about 2487 and 2011 respectively. Obtained piezoelectric coefficient and piezoelectric voltage coefficients of PZT-Nf-Ps (104 × 10−12 C/N, 0.4725 × 10−3 Vm/N) were achieved almost twice as much as PZT-D-Ps (48 × 10−12 C/N, 0.2699 × 10−3 Vm/N) and the pyroelectric coefficient of PZT-Nf-Ps (4.3 C m−2 k−1) was also higher than PZT-D-Ps (3.7 C m−2 k−1).