Pimonpan Sakoncharone. Comparison of Mn-doped lead zirconate titanate ceramics prepared by mixed-oxide and auto-combustion of citrate-nitrate gel techniques. Master's Degree(Applied Analytical and Inorganic Chemistry ). Mahidol University. Mahidol University Library and Knowledge Center. : Mahidol University, 2005.
Comparison of Mn-doped lead zirconate titanate ceramics prepared by mixed-oxide and auto-combustion of citrate-nitrate gel techniques
Abstract:
The effects of Mn doping on the properties of lead zirconate titanate (PZT,
52/48) piezoelectric ceramics prepared by auto-combustion of citrate-nitrate gel
method compared to the conventional mixed-oxide method were investigated. The
PZT and Mn doped PZT precursors obtained from both preparation methods were
calcined and sintered at 800oC for 2 h and 1200 oC for 2 h, respectively.
The X-ray diffraction patterns of PZT ceramics obtained from both preparation
methods showed stability change of phase from tetragonal to rhombohedral structure
when the Mn content was increased. In addition, tetragonality (c/a) decreased with
increasing amount of Mn.
The morphologies of almost all the sintered products showed dense,
homogeneous and uniform grain. The grain sizes decreased with increasing Mn dopant
content. The ceramics obtained from the mixed oxide method exhibited higher density
and volume shrinkage than those obtained from auto-combustion. The density of
ceramics was higher than 95% of the theoretical density in most cases.
The composition analysis of the ceramics via SEM/EDS and XRF techniques revealed
that the Zr:Ti ratio was close to the expected value (52:48). Furthermore, these
analysis techniques could also detect the small amount of Mn. According to the high
temperature x-ray diffraction (HT-XRD) measurements, the Curie temperature (Tc)
decreased when the Mn content was increased.
The products obtained from auto-combustion of citrate-nitrate gel method
produced soft ceramics at high Mn concentrations. It was also observed that the Mn
dopant greatly improved dielectric and piezoelectric properties, and also provided
more squared hysteresis loop than the undoped PZT. Conversely, the Mn doped PZT
ceramics obtained from mixed-oxide method had characteristics of hard ceramics,
including low kp, low εr, low d33, high Qm , and constricted hysteresis loop.