Structural and morphological investigations of barium zirconium titanate particles synthesized by the Pechini method

Barium zirconium titanate systems are lead-free, environmentally friendly materials exhibiting relaxor behavior with increasing Zr content. Therefore, the study proposed preparing and characterization of an ecologically favorable Pb-free relaxor from Ba(Zr0.5Ti0.5)O-3 (BZT). The results reported here are based on the research of BZT micrometric powders prepared by the Pechini method. The phase evolution was monitored by X-ray diffraction from 800 degrees C to 1300 degrees C, and results show that the formation of BZT starts around 1050 degrees C and continues until 1300 degrees C. The Rietveld refinement of data at 1300 degrees C confirms that BZT has a cubic structure. The thermal and structural properties of BZT samples were identified by thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy results reveal that the synthesized particles are micron-sized (2-2.8 mu m), rounded, polygonal-shaped, and agglomerated.