Hydrothermal and electrophoretic deposition of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films

• Published in: Journal of the European Ceramic Society Vol. 21; no. 10; pp. 1539 - 1542
• Main Authors: Su, B, Ponton, C.B, Button, T.W
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 2001; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Building materials. Ceramics. Glasses; Ceramic industries; Chemical industry and chemicals; Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Dielectric thin films; Dielectric, piezoelectric, ferroelectric and antiferroelectric materials; Dielectrics, piezoelectrics, and ferroelectrics and their properties; Electrodeposition, electroplating; Electrotechnical and electronic ceramics; Exact sciences and technology; Hydrothermal; Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Niobates, titanates, tantalates, pzt ceramics, etc; Physics; PZT; Suspensions; Technical ceramics; PZT; Films; Hydrothermal; Suspensions; Particle size; Inorganic compounds; Lead titanates; Sintered materials; Oxide ceramics; Lead zirconates; Aqueous solutions; Fine particle; Voltage; Powder compaction; Quaternary compounds; Aluminium oxides; Electroceramics; Electrophoretic deposition; Fine powder; Stacking sequence; Transition element compounds; Experimental study; Coated material; Thickness; Hydrothermal synthesis; Electric field effects; Sintering; Microstructure; Slurries
• ISSN: 0955-2219; 1873-619X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0955-2219(01)00059-0

Hydrothermal synthesis in conjunction with colloidal processing has been used to make PZT films in an aqueous solution. Fine PZT powders with a particle size of 200 nm and a narrow particle size distribution were synthesised hydrothermally at 300°C. After washing, a dispersant (di-ammonium citrate) was added to the slurry to make a stable suspension. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) was then employed to deposit PZT films directly from the hydrothermal PZT suspensions. The effects of the synthesis conditions on the particle size and size distribution of the PZT powders are briefly discussed. Various stabilisation mechanisms for the hydrothermal slurries have been investigated. The effects of the slurry properties and deposition parameters on the microstructure of deposited films are discussed. It is shown that PZT films with a thickness <5 μm can be deposited via EPD on Pt wires. However, the limitation of electric field, which must be below the decomposition voltage of water, resulted in an inferior packing density during deposition. The films had to be sintered at relatively higher sintering temperatures (>1000°C) in comparison with powder compacts. In addition, interaction with the substrate was observed when PZT films were deposited and sintered on Pt-coated alumina substrates.