Tailoring the functional properties of PLZT-BaTiO3 composite ceramics by core-shell approach

In the present work, composite ceramics of BaTiO3 with La0.08Pb0.92Ti0.20Zr0.80O3 were prepared from powders synthesized by two different methods: (a) PLZT@ BT ceramics from core-shell powders with PLZT-core and BaTiO3 shell and (b) PLZT-BT ceramic composites from mixed PLZT and BaTiO3 powders. In core-shell ceramics, a thin conductive layer of BaPbO3 was formed that resulted in an increased effective permittivity with relatively low losses (tan delta < 0.7 in kHz regions). The extrinsic contributions play an important role in both ceramics, but they are more evident in core-shell samples due to the large number of interfaces. These results show that novel functional properties can be tailored by the controlled chemical reaction at interfaces.