Abstract
The relation between the drying condition of precipitated gels and the transparency of PLZT ceramics was studied. The drying condition affected the transparency of ceramics. The highest transparency was obtained when the precipitated gel was dried by the solvent-exchange technique using acetone. The transparency decreased when the calcined powder had a cohesive nature. In order to prepare an aggregate-free powder after calcination, it was necessary that the precipitated gel was coagulated in the organic solvent used in the drying procedure. If the gel was intensionally coagulated in aqueous solution of ammonium carbonate, the dried powder was non-aggregated, and transparent ceramics was made without using an organic solvent. The coagulated structure of gel in a solvent was retained after drying and calcination, so that a powder with a small amount of internal pores was obtained by grinding, because of its weak cohesive strength.
