Papers by Author: Helena Bruncková

Abstract: The commercial carbonyl iron powder coated with iron phosphate (20 wt.%) was dried (60°C for 2 h in air), calcinated at 400°C for 3 h in air, compacted at 600 MPa into cylindrical samples and subsequently sintered at 820, 900 and 1110°C for 30 min in N₂-10%H₂ atmosphere. By means of EDX and XRD analyses the phase composition of the coating and sintered microstructure was studied. Microstructure resulting from sintering at 820 and 900°C was formed by initial iron particles surrounded with the crystalline FePO₄ and α-Fe₂O₃ phases. Due to liquid phase sintering at 1110°C a mixed microstructure containing spheroidized α-Fe phase surrounded by solidified liquid phase consisting of iron oxides and phosphorous compounds has been formed. In order to prepare a network composite microstructure the compacts based on spherical iron particles size of 100-160 µm coated with 2 wt.% of iron phosphate were dried, calcined at 400°C, compacted and liquid phase sintered at 980°C.

Abstract: Lead iron niobate Pb(Fe0.5Nb0.5)O3 (PFN) ceramics were prepared using sol-gel synthesis by mixing acetates Pb and Fe with Nb-ethylene glycol-tartarate (Pechini) complex at 80°C, calcination of gels at 600°C and sintering at 1150°C for various times. The metastable pyrochlore phase Pb3Nb4O13 in stoichiometric precursor was partially decomposed to perovskite phase Pb(Fe0.5Nb0.5)O3 in ceramics sintered at temperature of 1150°C for 2, 4 and 6 hours. Excess of Pb in molar ratio (Pb:Fe:Nb = 1.2:0.5:0.5) caused the increase of the content of the perovskite phase (~50 vol.%) in nonstoichiometric PFN ceramics sintered at 1150°C for 6 hours while the decrease in perovskite phase content was found in stoichiometric PFN ceramics (~16 vol.%). In microstructures of PFN ceramics sintered at 1150°C for different times, the bimodal grain size distribution was observed with small spherical grains of perovskite phase and larger octahedral grains of pyrochlore phase. EDX analysis confirm that complex types of pyrochlore phases that differ in iron content were present in ceramics.

Abstract: [Pb(Zr,Ti)(OAc)x(OR)y] acetate-alkoxide precursor was prepared by chelating from organic Pb, Zr and Ti alkoxides by their dissolution in various amounts of acetic acid (AcOH). The optimum mole ratio of (Pb+Zr+Ti) to AcOH for preparation gel is 1:7 and a pure perovskite phase is formed at 500 °C. At a low AcOH concentration, two-phase (pyrochlore and perovskite) regions are formed during gellation. During sintering, the decomposition of a pyrochlore phase and the formation of a perovskite phase takes place Dependences of dielectric permitivities and losses on temperature in final PZT ceramics were very similar and they were not influenced by the type of calcinate.