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Preparation of Lead Lanthanum Zirconate Titanate (PLZT, (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O 3 ) Fibers by Sol‐Gel Method
Author(s) -
Kitaoka Kenji,
Kozuka Hiromitsu,
Yoko Toshinobu
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1151-2916.1998.tb02467.x
Subject(s) - materials science , microstructure , fiber , lead zirconate titanate , ceramic , titanate , scanning electron microscope , lanthanum , analytical chemistry (journal) , titanium , perovskite (structure) , mineralogy , composite material , zirconate , sol gel , chemical engineering , metallurgy , inorganic chemistry , ferroelectricity , dielectric , chromatography , nanotechnology , chemistry , optoelectronics , engineering
Lead lanthanum zirconate titanate (PLZT, (Pb,La)(Zr,‐Ti)O 3 ) ceramic fibers were prepared by the sol‐gel method from a solution of lead acetate trihydrate, lanthanum isopropoxide, zirconium n ‐propoxide, and titanium isopropoxide that contained 2‐methoxyethanol as the solvent. The sols obtained from the solution were concentrated at 156°‐174°C for 2 h. Concentration at higher temperatures resulted in more‐viscous sols of higher specific gravities. The concentration resulted in the formation of spinnable sols, which had viscosities >10 5 mPas and exhibited Newtonian flow properties. These spinnable sols were formed to be so stable that no change in viscosity and spinnability was observed for more than three months when stored in a sealed container at room temperature. Gel‐to‐ceramic fiber conversion was investigated by means of X‐ray diffractometry, infrared spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. Single‐phase perovskite PLZT ceramic fibers 5‐200 μm in diameter and >20 cm in length were obtained. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation and Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) measurement showed that heat treatment of the fibers at a lower rate resulted in the formation of fibers of denser microstructure. Although the SEM image of the cross section of the fibers revealed a relatively dense microstructure and a laser beam could be transmitted through a fiber 6 mm in length, BET measurement of the fibers indicated that the fibers had more than a few percent of open porosities, and scattering of light was observed in the laser‐beam guiding test.