Papers by Author: Theerachai Bongkarn

Abstract: The effect of sintering temperatures (1050-1200 °C) on the phase formation, microstructure and dielectric properties of a binary system lead-free ceramic bismuth sodium titanate–bismuth potassium titanate were investigated. 0.8Bi_0.5Na_0.5TiO₃-0.2Bi_0.5K_0.5TiO₃; BNKT ceramics were successfully fabricated using the combustion technique. XRD results showed the rhombohedral-tetragonal morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). The SEM results showed the average grain size (0.51-2.59 µm) of the samples increased with the increase of sintering temperatures. The sample sintered at the optimum temperature of 1150 °C exhibited the maximum density, shrinkage, dielectric constant at Curie temperature and remanent polarization (P_r) which were around 5.65 g/cm³, 17.75%, 5014 and 1.6 mC/cm², respectively. The dielectric constant was related to the XRD results and density of the sintered ceramic.

Abstract: This study investigated the influence of excess Bi₂O₃ and Na₂CO₃ on the crystal structure, microstructure and dielectric properties of (Bi_0.5Na_0.5)TiO₃ (BNT) ceramics. The BNT ceramics were synthesized using the solid-state reaction method with various excess Bi₂O₃ and Na₂CO₃ levels (0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 mol%). The X-ray characterization revealed that all samples had a rhombohedral structure. A pure perovskite phase was obtained in all samples. The lattice parameter a tended to increase with increased excess Bi₂O₃ and Na₂CO₃ content in the calcined powders and sintered ceramics. The average particle size increased while, the average grain size tended to decreased with increased of excess Bi₂O₃ and Na₂CO₃ content. The depolarization temperature (T_d) and the Curie temperature (T_c) were slightly decreased with the increase of excess Bi₂O₃ and Na₂CO₃ content. The dielectric properties were related to the density.

Abstract: The effect of calcination (1000-1400 oC) and sintering temperatures (1400-1600 oC) on the phase formation and microstructure of barium strontium zirconate titanate [(Ba0.25Sr0.75)(Zr0.75Ti0.25)O3; BSZT] ceramics were investigated. BSZT powders were prepared by the solid-state reaction method. Higher calcination temperatures increased the percentage of the perovskite phase, but decreased the lattice parameter a of BSZT powders. The pure perovskite phase of BSZT powders was detected above the calcination temperature of 1350 oC. The microstructure of BSZT powders exhibited an almost-spherical morphology and had a porous agglomerated form. The average particle size and the average grain size of the ceramics were increased with the increase of calcination and sintering temperatures. The highest density of the samples was 5.42 g/cm3 which was obtained from ceramic sintered at 1550 oC for 2 h.

Abstract: (Pb1-xSrx)TiO3 (PST) (x=0.25, 0.50) powders were synthesized by a mixed oxide solid-state reaction method under various calcination temperatures (600-1100oC). Powder samples were characterized using thermogravimetric (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), x–ray diffractrometer (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that a single-phase of PST for x=0.25 and 0.50 powders was successfully obtained with a calcination condition of 950 oC for 2 h with a heating/cooling rate of 5oC/min. The TGA-DTA results corresponded to the XRD investigation. The lattice parameter a increased whilst the lattice parameter c decreased with increasing calcination temperatures. The tetragonality of powders decreased with an increase of calcination temperatures. The average particle size of the powders increased with the increase of calcination temperature.

Abstract: Perovskite SrZrO3 ceramics were successfully prepared via a combustion technique. The effect of calcination temperatures (900-1400oC) and sintering temperatures (1400-1650oC) on phase and morphology evolution of perovskite SrZrO3 ceramics were studied. The highest purity of perovskite phase powder was obtained at 1250 oC and the purity of the perovskite phase of SrZrO3 ceramics were detected in the samples sintered at 1550 oC for 6 h. The SEM results showed the average particle size (84-214 nm) and the average grain size (0.35-2.09 µm) of samples increased with the increase of firing temperatures. The shrinkage of the ceramics increased as the sintering temperatures increased. The maximum density was ~98.4% of the theoretical density for the sample sintered at 1550 oC for 6 h.

Abstract: (Pb0.925Ba0.075)TiO3 (PBT) ceramics have been prepared using a mixed oxide technique. The phase formation and morphology were studied in detail via X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The pure tetragonal perovskite structure was discovered with calcination temperatures above 800 oC. The percentage of perovskite phase and particle size tends to increase with the increasing of calcination temperatures. The PBT ceramics sintered at various temperatures belonged to a pure tetragonal perovskite phase. The average grain sizes increased from 0.90 to 6.44 µm with the increase of sintering temperatures from 1100 to 1200 oC. The highest density was obtained from the sample that sintered at 1150 and 1200 oC

Abstract: In this work, the effect of calcination temperatures on the microstructure and phase formation of Ba(Zr0.25Ti0.75)O3 (BZT) powders were investigated. The BZT powders were prepared via the solid state reaction method under various calcination temperatures. It was found that the second phases such as BaCO3, ZrO2, BaZrO3 and Ba2ZrO4 existed in samples with calcination temperature below 1200 oC. Homogeneity and a highly pure perovskite phase of the BZT powders were obtained with calcination condition at 1300 oC for 4 h. Lattice parameter a and the percentage of cubic perovskite phase tended to increase with increasing calcination temperatures. The TG-DTA results corresponded to the XRD investigation. The microstructures of calcined powders exhibited an almost-spherical morphology and had a porous agglomerated form in all samples. The average particle sizes were increased from 0.2 to 1.1mµ when calcination temperatures were increased from 800 to 1350 oC.

Abstract: In this study, lead barium zirconate titanate [(Pb0.975Ba0.025)(Zr1-xTix); (PBZT)] powders with 0 £ x £1 were prepared via the mixed oxide method. The calcinations were performed between 800 and 1000 oC for 1 h. The phase formation and microstructure was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the structural phase indexed in the orthorhombic phase for x = 0. The tetragonal phase was detected in 0.25 £ x £ 1 samples. TG and DTA curves corresponded to XRD results. The SEM result indicated that the particle size of the powders were nonconsistant and ranged from ~0.5 to ~1.3 µm.

Abstract: The effect of calcination temperatures (1000-1400 oC) on the phase formation and microstructure of barium strontium zirconate titanate [(Ba0.25Sr0.75)(Zr0.75Ti0.25)O3 ; BSZT] powders were investigated. BSZT powders were prepared and compared by the solid state reaction method and the combustion technique. The higher calcination temperatures increased the percentage of the perovskite phase, but decreased the lattice parameter a. The same crystallographic pure perovskite phase of BSZT powders, which were prepared via the combustion technique were detected above 1300 oC ; which was lower than the calcinations temperature of mixed oxide method by 50 oC. The TGA-DTA results corresponded to XRD investigation. The microstructure of BSZT powders, which were prepared using both techniques, exhibited an almost-spherical morphology and had a porous agglomerated form. The average particle sizes of BSZT powders prepared via the combustion technique (0.13-0.30 µm) and the solid state reaction method (0.18-0.38 µm) were increased with the increase of calcinations temperatures

Abstract: In this work, we studied the effect of excess PbO on crystal structure, microstructure and phase transition of lead titanate (PT). PT was prepared via a mixed oxide method with various PbO levels (0, 1, 3 and 5 wt.%). The raw materials were calcined at 750 oC for 2 h and sintered at 1225 oC for 2 h. The characteristics of PT were analyzed by a X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). It was found that calcined powders and sintered ceramics indexed in a tetragonal structure. For PT powders, the impurity phases of lead oxide (PbO) and lead dioxide (PbO2) were detected in 3 and 5 wt.% of excess PbO samples, but they were not detected in all sintered ceramic samples. The increase of excess PbO levels resulted in a decreased c/a ratio in both calcined powders and sintered ceramics. Average particle sizes increased from 0.64 to 4.24 µm when excess PbO levels increased from 0 to 5 wt.%. It was also clearly seen that the liquid phase of the sintering process was obtained in the PT calcined powders which had an excess of PbO. The DSC result indicated that the phase transition temperature, from a ferroelectric to a paraelectric phase with a high PbO content (5 wt.%), was higher than those with low PbO contents (0, 1 and 3 wt.%).