Investigations of BaxSr1−xTiO3 ceramics and powders prepared by direct current arc discharge technique

Abstract

BaxSr1−xTiO3 ceramics with x ranging from 0 to 1 were prepared by direct current arc discharge technique and studied by means of x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The cubic-tetragonal ferroelectric phase transition in BaxSr1−xTiO3 ceramics was found to occur at x ≈ 0.75. XRD investigation of as-grown BaTiO3 ceramics revealed co-existence of tetragonal and hexagonal modifications with a small amount of impurity phase BaTi4O9. No evidences of hexagonal phase were observed in Raman spectra of as-grown BaTiO3 ceramics, while Raman peaks related to hexagonal phase were clearly observed in the spectrum of fine-grain powders prepared from the same ceramics. A core-shell model for BaTiO3 ceramics prepared by direct current arc discharge technique is proposed. Absence of the hexagonal phase in any BaxSr1−xTiO3 solid solution with x < 1 is discussed in the frame of specific atomic arrangement.