Microstructure of the spark-plasma sintered pyrochlore ceramics based on Bi2O3-ZnO-Nb2O5 system.

The spark-plasma sintering of ceramics based on the cubic pyrochlore phase in the system Bi2O3-ZnO-Nb2O5 is reported for the first time. It is shown that the use of spark-plasma sintering in the manufacture of (Bi1.5Zn0.5)2(Zn0.5Nb1.5)2O7 ceramics makes it possible to obtain a high density, a homogeneous microstructure, and high dielectric parameters (almost 30% higher compared to conventional ceramic technology). The paper discusses the features of microstructure formation and the optimization of spark plasma sintering regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]