Thick films of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) offer possibilities for micro-electro-mechanical systems such as high frequency ultrasonic transducers. In this paper, crack-free thick films of PZT have been prepared up to 45 mu m thickness via modified sal-gel dip coating method. In this procedure, acetic acid-alcoholic based sol is used by applying diethanolamine (DEA) and deionized water as additives. The effects of DEA and water on the crystal structure and surface morphology of the films are investigated. The mechanisms of acetic acid and DEA complexations are introduced by using FTIR spectrometer which illustrates suitable substitution of complexing agents with alkoxide groups. DEA/(Ti + Zr) = 0.5 or water/(Ti + Zr) = 0.5 are determined as the optimum molar ratio of additives, which lead to the formation of almost pure perovskite phase with the tetragonal lattice parameters of c(t) = 4.16 angstrom and at = 4.02 angstrom and a distortion of 2%. Values of remanent polarization and dielectric constant of 7.8 mu C cm(-2) and 1630 were obtained for 45 mu rn thick films, respectively. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.