Preparation of antiferroelectric lead zirconate titanate stannate ceramics by high-energy ball milling process

Abstract

Lead zirconate titanate stannate powders doped with lanthanum and niobium, namely [Pb0.99Nb0.02(Zr0.85Sn0.13Ti0.02)0.98O3, or PNZST) and (Pb0.9La0.02(Zr0.65Sn0.31Ti0.04)O3, or PLZST], were synthesized by a high-energy ball milling technique from their corresponding oxide mixtures. The milled powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and particle size analysis techniques. The sintering behaviors of the milled powders were investigated by a dilatometer from room temperature to 1100 °C. PZST ceramics formed from the high-energy ball milled powders were sintered at temperatures from 900 °C to 1200 °C. The measured electrical properties of the PZST ceramics were comparable to the results reported in the literature. These results have shown that the high-energy ball milling technique is a promising method to prepare PZST ceramics due to its simple procedure.