POWDER CHARACTERISTICS OF PB(MG1/3NB2/3)O3 PREPARED BY MOLTEN-SALT SYNTHESIS

Lead magnesium niobate (Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3, PMN) was prepared by a molten salt synthesis method. Powder characteristics were greatly influenced by the processing parameters, such as amount of salt, species of salt, and the presence of excess PbO. Grown in sulfate salts, PMN crystallites showed faceted morphology with a bimodal particle-size distribution in which the smaller particles were in the sub-micrometer range. The presence of excess PbO in the sulfate salts greatly influenced the faceted morphology and resulted in rounded PMN crystallites. The possible origin of particle morphology changes due to the processing parameters is discussed.