Densification rate and phase structure changes during sintering of zinc titanate ceramics

Densification rate and phase structure changes during sintering of nanosized ZnTiO3 were studied. Sintering was performed in a dilatometer in two regimes: the first to 900 °C (heating rates 5, 10 and 15 °C/min) and the second to 1200 °C (heating rates 3, 5 and 10 °C/min). XRD analysis of samples sintered at both temperatures combined with Rietveld structure refinement enabled determination of all phases present and their structure parameters. Samples sintered to 900 °C contained ZnTiO3 and Zn2TiO4 with traces of r-TiO2 (rutile) and Zn2Ti3O8, while samples sintered to1200 °C contained only r-TiO2 and Zn2TiO4. A master sintering curve was defined for sintering to 900 °C enabling determination of the sintering process activation energy as 313 kJ/mol.