Pb(Zr_xTi_1−x)O₃ ceramics via reactive sintering of partially reacted mixture produced by a high-energy ball milling process

Partially reacted mixtures of Pb(Zr_xTi_1−x)O₃ and its corresponding starting oxide components were obtained by a high-energy ball milling process. The partially reacted powders were characterized by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The sintering behavior of the milled mixtures has demonstrated a distinct volumetric expansion before the densification of the samples, which clearly shows the occurrence of a reactive sintering process of the partially reacted powders. Such process requires a lower densification temperature as compared with the PZT powders produced by the conventional solid-state reaction process. PZT ceramics were found to form directly from the partially reacted powders sintered at 900–1200 °C. The dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the PZT ceramics as a function of sintering temperature and milling time were also studied and discussed.