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

Lead zirconate titanate stannate powders doped with lanthanum and niobium, namely [Pb0.99Nb0.02(Zr0.85Sn0.13Ti0.02)(0.98)O-3, or PNZST) and (Pb0.9La0.02(Zr0.65Sn0.31Ti0.04)O-3, 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 degreesC. PZST ceramics formed from the high-energy ball milled powders were sintered at temperatures from 900 degreesC to 1200 degreesC. 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. (C) 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers.