Improvement of the structural, dielectric, ferroelectric, and piezoelectric of PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 nanopowder features for ultrasonic applications

Abstract

Smart ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate (PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3) was synthesized in the morphotropic phase boundary by a sol-gel auto-combustion strategy. The as-prepared powder was calcined at three different temperatures, 700, 800, and 900 °C for 3 h, each. The tetragonality of the final product increases with the rise of calcination temperature. Thermal gravimetric analysis and differential thermal gravimetric analysis depicted that complete crystallization of PZT was observed at 400 °C. Structural, vibrational, and microstructure studies were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy investigated for grains and elemental analyses and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM). Results of XRD and HR-TEM were compatible, showing the formation of nanocrystalline powder with coexisting tetragonal and rhombohedral phases. Rietveld refinement of XRD data was carried out using material analysis using diffraction software in order to obtain the lattice constants. For mechanical and electrical measurements, disks were pressed at 10 MPa. The samples were burned out at 500 °C for 1 h and then 1100 °C for 2 h to obtain more dense disks. The surfaces of the disks were coated with silver paste, followed by burning out for almost an hour. Dielectric and piezoelectric characteristics for the fabricated PZT samples were determined in detail. From these analytical techniques and collected data, one can deduce that the sample annealed at 900 °C can be used as an ultrasonic transducer in various metrological applications.