Effects of processing methods on texture development and densification in SrBi4Ti4O15 ceramics

This paper deals with the effects of preparation methods on the texture development and densification in textured SrBi4Ti4O15 ( SBT) ceramics. The specimens were prepared by the oriented consolidation of anisotropic particles ( OCAP), templated grain growth ( TGG) and reactive templated grain growth ( RTGG) methods. The specimens with extensive texture were obtained by all methods except for TGG with small template and large matrix particles. The origin of extensive texture development was the growth of aligned platelike particles. A characteristic of microstructure was the formation of colonies, in which platelike grains contacted face-to-face. The size of colonies was dependent on the preparation method, and determined the size of pores between colonies, which had a large effect on the sintered density. The OCAP and RTGG methods gave the green compacts composed of only platelike particles and large colonies and pores formed during sintering. The TGG method gave the green compacts composed of platelike and equiaxed particles and prevented the formation of large colonies and pores during sintering. Thus, the dense, highly-textured SBT ceramics were obtained by the TGG method. (c) 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.