Two step sintering of ZnTiO3 nanopowder

Metastable nanopowder ZnTiO3 was pressed into cylindrical compacts at 200 MPa. Compacts were treated by conventional heating with isothermal holding at 931°C for 10 minutes, 25 minutes and 40 minutes. ZnTiO3 compacts were also heated with a two-step sintering schedule with maximal 913°C and isothermal holding at 896°C, for approximately the same holding times as the isothermal schedule. Shrinkage during heating was monitored with a dilatometric device, while microstructure was determined with atomic force microscopy. XRD patterns were collected for the most interesting samples. Microstructures of sintered specimens showed differences introduced during the last sintering stage by the two different heating schedules. Goal of the presented work was to discuss the possible sintering mechanisms for the two step sintering schedulle according to the presented results. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. OI 172057