Preparation of PZT powders and ceramics via a hybrid method of sol–gel and ultrasonic atomization

Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) (52/48) powders were synthesized by a hybrid method of sol–gel and ultrasonic atomization. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results showed that perovskite phase of PZT is formed at 400 °C. This temperature is much lower than the calcination temperatures (500–900 °C) required by other processes. Phase-pure PZT powders were obtained at 700 °C. The PZT ceramics sintered at 1150 °C for 4 h exhibited a relative density of 98.5%, a piezoelectric coefficient of 221 pC/N, a remnant polarization of 24.1 μC/cm2, and a coercive field of 10.1 kV/cm. Moreover, we used ZrO2 as the starting material in this study, which is much cheaper than that used in sol–gel process, thus leading to a cost-effective approach possible for industrial fabrications of PZT materials. This method is also believed to be applicable to other Zr-containing materials.