Particle Size Control, Sinterability and Piezoelectric Properties of BaTiO 3 Prepared by a Novel Composite-Hydroxide-Mediated Approach

Abstract

The size of BaTiO3 particles was controlled by adjusting the molar ratio of the starting materials (BaCl2 + TiO2) to mineralizer (NaOH + KOH) during a composite-hydroxide-mediated approach using a novel hydrothermal reaction apparatus with a rolling system. The mean particle diameter decreased from 500 to 50 nm with a decrease in the (BaCl2 + TiO2)/(NaOH + KOH) molar ratio from 0.44 to 0.04. The powders were sintered by normal one-step sintering at 1200°C for 5 h and two-step sintering in which temperature was raised to 1200°C at first and then decreased to 1100°C and kept at 1100°C for 5 h. The BaTiO3 particles prepared with the (BaCl2 + TiO2)/(NaOH + KOH) molar ratio of 0.32 and 0.22 showed excellent sinterability and could be sintered to almost full theoretical density by both method. The sintered bodies obtained by both methods showed similarly excellent dielectric and piezoelectric properties.