Preparation of nanocrystalline lead zirconate powder by homogeneous precipitation using hydrogen peroxide and urea

Nano-sized lead zirconate (PZ) powder has been prepared with a modified urea-based homogeneous precipitation process. In this route, hydrogen peroxide was used prior to the addition of urea to allow the formation of peroxo complexes in the mixed solution of lead nitrate and zirconyl chloride. The use of hydrogen peroxide effectively suppressed to the formation of crystalline Pb-carbonate phases during the precipitation. The obtained precipitate contained only a small amount of poorly crystallized cerussite. The as-dried precipitate converted to the crystalline lead zirconate phase, when calcined at 600 degreesC. The crystalline grains appeared in a spherical shape and uniform size of about 20 nm. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.