Microstructure of lead zirconate titanate nanocomposite ceramics prepared by the B-site citrate precursor route

A perovskite B-site ion oxide solid solution was synthesized by the citrate precursor route.The synthesized precursor was calcined with PbCO₃ at 740℃ to prepare lead zirconate titanate(PZT) powders which are a pure metastable perovskite phase lacking of Pb in A-site.During sintering,both monoclinic and tetragonal phase ZrO₂ nanoparticles were precipitated from the solid solution.X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were used to analyze the phase,composition and microstructure.When the amount of ZrO₂ addition increased,the fracture mode changed from the coexistence of intergranular and intragranular fracture to intragranular fracture only.It is concluded that the intragranular type nanocomposite piezoelectric ceramics are successfully formed by the B-site citrate precursor route.