Effect of Polymeric Additives on the Rheological Behavior of PZT Pastes for Extrusion Fiber Processing: Optimization by Taguchi Method

This study investigates the rheological behavior and microstructural characteristics of Pb(Zr,Ti)O₃ (PZT) fibers fabricated via extrusion. Using commercial soft PZT powder, polymeric additives, and an organic solvent, paste formulations were optimized through a Taguchi experimental design. The optimal composition, ۵ wt.% PVB, ۰.۵ wt.% DBF, ۰.۸ wt.% SA, and ۷۰ wt.% solid loading, achieved a viscosity of ۱۵۵۴۸ mPa·s, enabling stable extrusion. Increasing the DBF content to ۲.۵ wt.%, further enhanced flowability, reducing the required force and yielding a microstructure with significantly reduced surface porosity—from approximately ۲۵% to ۵.۵%. After sintering at ۱۲۵۰ °C for ۲ hours, the fibers exhibited a crack-free, homogeneous microstructure with uniformly distributed grains, as confirmed by SEM and EDAX analyses.These findings demonstrate that precise control of paste formulation and processing parameters enables the production of high-quality PZT fibers suitable for piezoelectric applications, highlighting the industrial potential of the proposed method.

کلیدواژه ها:

PZT fiber ، Extrusion ، Rheological behavior ، taguchi method ، Microstructure