The obtaining of zinc stannate ceramics from mechanically activated ZnO and SnO2 powder mixtures

The subject of this work is the influence of mechanical activation on solid state chemical reaction, e.g. the formation of porous zinc stannate ceramics during different thermal treatments of compact samples obtained from ZnO and SnO2 powder mixtures mechanically activated in a high energy vibro-mill. X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy and non-isothermal dilatometric measurements were performed in order to investigate spinel formation. Based on the analysis of the obtained results it could be concluded that porous, fine-grained zinc stannate ceramic could be obtained for certain time of activation at much lower temperatures than the ones reported in the literature, with simultaneous acceleration of the solid state reaction.