Combustion synthesis of PZN-10PT nanopowders

Discussed is the influence of the fuel and water employed in combustion synthesis of single-phase (perovskite) PZN-10PT nanopowder with an x = 0.10 composition. Pb(NO 3) 2, Zn(NO 3) 2 • 6H 2O, (NH 4NbO(C 2O 4) 2), and C 8H 20O 4Ti were used as cation precursors while urea, glycine, glycine/urea (50/50 ratio), and tetraformal triazine (TFTA), as fuels. Two sets of precursors (denoted as set-1 and set-2) were used with each of these fuels, and four different fuels: without and with the addition of 250 mL of water. The results indicated that the highest percentage of perovskite phase in the PZN-10PT nanopowders was obtained using an urea/glycine mixture as a fuel. When the urea/glycine mixture was added to the solution containing cations precursors, the two fuels form a gel in aqueous solution, this gel contributes not only to obtain homogeneously mixed in the starting material but also aids explosive combustion leading to a high-temperature reaction within a shorter period of time, which is a condition that favors the formation of metastable PZN-10PT nanopowders. © 2012 Allerton Press, Inc.