Electrophoretic deposition of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) powder from ethanol suspension prepared with phosphate ester

The formation of thick PZT films via electrophoretic deposition (EPD) was studied. The colloidal suspension of a nano-sized PZT powder dispersed in ethanol was prepared using a phosphate ester (PE) as a dispersant. The amount of PE addition on the stability of the PZT suspension has been investigated by measuring the pH and conductivity of the suspension, deposition weight and the relative density of the PZT green compacts. The effect of the applied voltage on the relative green density was also determined as a function of the wt% PE. The composition and microstructure of the sintered PZT ceramics were characterized by XRD and SEM. The electrical properties of the PZT ceramics were also investigated.