Zirconium titanate: from polymeric precursors to bulk ceramics

Ceramic materials based on zirconium titanate solid solutions are used extensively in microwave telecommunications and catalysis. They also find applications in sensors, pigments, and composites. The preparation of zirconium titanates via polymeric precursors is reported. The behaviour of samples containing either no metallic component or a single metal component is also discussed. All the precursors were characterised by NMR, FT-IR and thermal analysis (DTA-TGA). Oxide powders were obtained by calcining the polymeric precursors at temperatures in the range 460-1200 degrees C. The products were characterised by XRD, DTA, SEM and EDS. By sintering at 1600 degrees C the zirconium titanate powders, dense (up to 98% theoretical density) ZrTiO4 ceramics were obtained without additives. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved.