BaTiO3 Structure as a Function of the Preparation Method

Barium titanate is synthesized by sol-gel and hydrothermal methods. The sol-gel technique allows the preparation of amorphous powders which are subsequently subjected to appropriate time-temperature programs and barium titanate is precipitated. The allotropic modification of the barium titanate from the obtained sol-gel powder depends on the temperature applied. It is cubic for heat treatment at 900 °C for 4 h, while in case of crystallization at 1100 °C for 3 h the tetragonal modification occurs as witnessed by X-ray diffraction analyses. Barium titanate is also successfully prepared by the hydrothermal method which results in the crystallization of the cubic allotrope as observed by X-ray diffraction. The microstructure of the formed barium titanate powders is imaged by scanning electron microscopy and reveals the formation of large fraction of crystals which are polydispersed for the samples prepared via sol-gel method and tend to agglomerate in case of hydrothermal synthesis. The infrared spectroscopy investigation of the powders obtained by both synthesis methods shows the presence of the absorption peak characteristic for the barium titanate phase in the range 540–580 cm−1.