Co-extrusion of piezoelectric ceramic fibres

The present work successfully developed a methodology for fabricating lead zirconate titanate [PZT] thin solid- and hollow-fibres by the thermoplastic co-extrusion process. The whole process chain, that includes:

a) compounding, involving the mixing of ceramic powder with a thermoplastic binder,

b) rheological characterizations,

c) preform composite fabrication followed by co-extrusion,

d) debinding and, finally,

e) sintering of the body to near full density, is systematically described.