PZT ceramics formed directly from oxides via reactive sintering

Abstract Lead zicronate titanate ceramics with morphological boundary phase (PMP) composition (PbZr 0.52 Ti 0.48 O 3 or PZT) were prepared directly from their oxide mixture without involving calcination process. Sintering behavior of the oxide mixture showed that there was a volumetric expansion occurring at about 800°C, which can be attributed to the reaction to PZT compound from the oxide mixture. A maximum sintering rate was observed at about 870°C in the linear sintering rate curve, showing that the densification of the oxide mixture is significant than that of calcined powder. PZT ceramics sintered at 1100°C for 1 h demonstrated a dielectric constant of 1157 at 1 kHz, a remnant polarization of 27.3 μC/cm 2 and coercive field of 21 kV/cm, respectively.