A novel route to perovskite lead titanate from lead and titanium glycolates via the sol–gel process

Abstract Pure perovskite lead titanate powder (PbTiO3) is successfully produced via the sol–gel process using lead and titanium glycolates as starting precursors and has been synthesized by the oxide one spot synthesis process. The obtained lead titanate is of the tetragonal form of the perovskite phase, with high purity and nearly zero moisture content. From high‐resolution mass spectra, the XRD technique, Raman‐FTIR and TGA‐DTA analysis, the lead–titanium glycolates undergo sol–gel transition through the formation of PbOTi bonds. From the SEM micrographs, the PbTiO3 particle shape transforms from an agglomerate sphere to a needle and fiber‐like shapes as the calcination temperature is varied above Tc. The corresponding molecular structural transformation, from the tetragonal form to the cubic form, occurs at 430 °C. The lead titanate powder calcined at 300 °C for 3 h has the highest dielectric constant and electrical conductivity values, namely 17470 and 1.83 × 10−3, respectively. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.