The crystallization kinetics of ceramics composed by Bi2O3-ZnO-Nb2O5 (BZN) was studied using non-isothermal method. The BZN samples were prepared by the polymeric precursors method. Phase evolution was evaluated by X ray diffraction and the thermal events were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The crystallization of BZN occurs from 500 to 700 °C, which corresponds to a secondary event in DSC curves. The principal exothermic event in these curves is related to the decomposition of organic material and was isolated from the crystallization peak by deconvolution into two Gaussian curves. Those related to crystallization processes were evaluated in terms of crystallized fraction. Kinetic parameters were determined from Ligero (E = 242 ± 7) kJ.mol-1 and Kissinger (E = 241 ± 24) kJ.mol-1 methodologies and they are very close. The activation energy Ea = (241 ± 24) kJ.mol-1 and (242 ± 7) kJ.mol-1 (by the Kissinger and Ligero methodology, respectively), frequency factor k0 =10(13).s-1 and exponent of Avrami n = (1.3 ± 0.1) were determined. The n value indicates that the crystallization is diffusion controlled, with decreasing nucleation rate. Scanning electronic microscopy showed the presence of nanoparticulated powder.

Bismuth zinc niobate pyrochlores Bi1.5ZnNb1.5O7 (alpha-BZN), and Bi2(Zn1/3Nb2/3)2O 7 (beta-BZN) have been synthesized by chemical method based on the polymeric precursors. The pyrochlore phase was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy, and X ray diffraction. Powder and sintered pellets morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The study of alpha-BZN phase formation reveals that, at 500 °C, the pyrochlore phase was already present while a single-phased nanopowder was obtained after calcination at 700 °C. The crystallization mechanism of the beta-BZN is quite different, occurring through the crystallization of alpha-BZN and BiNbO4 intermediary phases. Both compositions yielded soft agglomerated powders. alpha-BZN pellets, sintered at 800 °C for 2 hours, presented a relative density of 97.3% while those of beta-BZN, sintered at 900 °C for 2 hours, reached only 91.8%. Dielectric constant and dielectric loss, measured at 1 MHz, were 150 and 4 x/10-4 for a-BZN, and 97 and 8 x 10-4 for beta-BZN.