Synthesis of PbTiO3 ceramics using mechanical alloying and solid state sintering

The pressure-less sintering behavior of PbTiO₃ powders synthesized by mechanical alloying TiO₂ and PbO was investigated using dilatometry and Rietveld refinements of X-ray diffraction patterns. As-synthesized, the powders are nanocrystalline with a mean particle size of 20 nm. Pressure-less sintering in the range 500-1050°C gives single phase ceramics with densities of 85-90% and crystallite sizes in the range 80-400 nm. Cracking due to the paraelectric-ferroelectric phase transition was not observed in samples sintered below 700°C due to the small crystallite size whereas macroscopic cracks formed in samples sintered above 700°C. Rietveld analysis indicates the formation of Pb vacancies in samples sintered and held for 24 h at intermediate temperatures (600-1000°C) which gives some insight into the mechanism of Pb loss and second phase formation in this system.