Sol-gel processing and physic-chemical characterization of La and Ce doped lead titanate ceramics

PbTiO3 (PT) sol gel processed powders doped with lanthanum (PLT14) and cerium (PLCexT14, x = 1; 3; 6; 10) were characterized by XRD and Raman spectroscopy. The samples crystallize in a pure perovskite phase at temperatures smaller than those reported for the same compounds prepared by other conventional methods. The effect of cerium or/and lanthanum on the crystal structure, microstructural and dielectric properties of PbTiO3 were investigated using FTIR, XRD, SEM, Raman spectroscopy and impedance spectroscopy. Incorporation of Ce reduces the temperature of crystallization of the samples, the temperature of the maximum of the permittivity and the diffuseness character of the ferroelectric to paraelectric transition, and enhances the permittivity.