A Simple System for the Preparation of Submicrometer Lead Titanate Powders by the Sol‐Gel Method

Abstract

This paper reports a new system for the preparation of lead titanate powders by the sol‐gel method. In this system basic lead acetate, (CH3COO)2Pb.Pb(OH)2, is used as the lead precursor instead of the widely used Pb(OOCCH3)2.3H2O and titanium tetrabutoxide monomer. This new system simplifies the chemical processing of precursor solutions of lead titanate, increases their stability in air, and offers good control of Pb:Ti stoichiometry. The xerogel, obtained from the precursor solution by aging at room temperature, is found to have a higher inorganic content. Gel‐to‐ceramic conversion is achieved by calcining the xerogel at 600°C. The phase purity, particle size, morphology, and compositional homogeneity of the gel‐derived powders are examined by XRD, TEM, and ICP‐OES.

Sonochemical Preparation of PbTiO3 Fine Powders

“…Ferroelectric PbTiO 3 , which exhibits a perovskite structure and a Curie temperature of 490°C, is widely applied in electronics such as capacitors, ultrasonic transducers, detectors, nonvolatile memories, optoelectronic devices, etc 10–13 . Various methods such as sol–gel methods, 14–20 hydrothermal synthesis, 21,22 co‐precipitation, 23,24 emulsion (microemulsion) process, 24 and molten salt method 25 were applied to prepare lead titanate powders. And a few recent papers have described the crystallization of PbTiO 3 and PbZr x Ti y O 3 at low temperature 26–29 .…”

“…And a few recent papers have described the crystallization of PbTiO 3 and PbZr x Ti y O 3 at low temperature 26–29 . Among them, the sol–gel processing has been extensively investigated 14–20 . This method is mainly based on the hydrolysis of the complex alkoxide containing Pb–O–Ti units, i.e., the formation of a homogeneous amorphous precursor and post‐heat treatment.…”

“…Apart from the lowering of processing temperatures, the main advantage of this process is chemical homogeneity due to the mixing of the precursors at the molecular level. Because of low cost, inorganic salts such as Pb(NO 3 ) 2 16 or lead acetate trihydrate, Pb(OCOCH 3 ) 2 ·3H 2 O 14,15,17–20 were used as initial lead source instead of alkoxide. Some researchers developed a sol–gel process using Pb(OCOCH 3 ) 2 ·3H 2 O, which had to be first dehydrated in situ by refluxing in aliphatic alcohol 14,16 or be first converted into Pb(OOCCH 3 ) 2 ·Pb(OH) 2 system with further treatment 17 .…”