Abstract
The synthesis of crystalline lead titanate powder by a generic low-temperature sol-gel approach is developed. Acetoin was added as ligand, instead of the commonly used alkanolamines, to ensure total dissolution of the precursor compounds. The feasibility of the acetoin-Ti isopropoxide complex as a new precursor of PbTiO3 perovskite particles via sol-gel method has been demonstrated. No excess lead has been introduced. Nanometric PbTiO3 crystallites have been formed at 400 °C under atmospheric pressure from titanium isopropoxide and lead acetate in alcoholic solution by remarkably low activation energy of crystallization process of 90 kJ mol−1. The powders show tetragonal lattice and dendritic morphology. In addition to the effect of heat-treatment temperature, time, and atmosphere, the sol chemistry particularly influenced the phase composition, particle size, and particle morphology. The use of different ligands significantly modified powder morphology. The extent of the crystallization was quantitatively evaluated by differential thermal analysis and analyzed by Johnson-Mehl-Avrami approach. The crystallization followed two rate regimes depending on the interval of the crystallized fraction.
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•Even minor corrections to the stoichiometric initial reactants ratio were not required.•Nanometric PbTiO3 crystallites have been formed at very low temperature (400 °C/24 h).•Particle synthesis significantly influenced particle characteristics such as particle size and shape.•The crystallization process has been analyzed by non-isothermal kinetics method.•Two crystallization rate regimes have been identified.