Chemical synthesis of nanocrystalline lead zirconate-titanate powders using tartarate precursor

Nanocrystalline (30 nm) lead zirconate-titanate (PZT) ceramics, with Zr/Ti ratio 60:40, was prepared by a chemical method starting from a mixed metal ion–tartarate (Zr⁴⁺, Ti⁴⁺)–EDTA (Pb²⁺) complex solution. After complete evaporation of the mixed complex solution, a fluffy dried mass, known as precursor material was obtained. Heat-treatments of the precursor material at 400°C/2 h resulting single phase PZT. The precursor and heat-treated powders were characterized by TG/DTA, XRD and TEM analysis. The result shows that the process provides a technically simple route for the preparation of nanocrystalline PZT powders at low preparation temperatures.