The synthesis of PMN (Pb3MgNb2O9) using the columbite route allows for reduction of secondary phases. The Pechini’s method was used for preparing MN powders to obtain powders with suitable chemical homogeneity and high surface area. In this work it is showed that impurity content and calcination conditions affect the synthesis of MN contained MgNb2O6 single phase. The presence of ammonium oxalate residue affected the organic matter decomposition stage and the synthesis temperature of MN. The results obtained by TG/DTA and XRD show that columbite phase mechanism formation is influenced by the concentration of the ammonium oxalate in the Pechini precursor. A columbite precursor with crystalline single phase and high surface area could be obtained using citrate solution completely absent of impurities and calcination at 900 °C for 2 hours.
columbite; Pechini; PMN; synthesis
