Development and technology of doped sol–gel derived lead zirconate titanate fibers

Piezoelectric PZT fibers were developed via the sol–gel route. These fibers are thin (about 30 µm thick) and flexible and can be used for composites which can be adapted to curved geometries. A pilot plant scale synthesis of the thin piezoelectric fibers is presented. Commonly used sintering arrangements were adapted to the specific conditions of the new process. To reduce the processing time a new method for the pyrolysis of the organic precursor fibers was carried over from treatments of other ceramic systems. The sintering process was modified to cope with the unusually large size of the reaction room. The resulting microstructure is comparable to that of conventionally sintered ceramic material. Dielectric and electromechanical measurements show that the fibers fabricated by this new technology are of good quality.