Low temperature synthesis of BaCeO 3 nano powders by the citrate process

Abstract

Nanosized BaCeO 3 powders with the homogeneous composition were synthesized at the relatively low temperature of 900 °C by a citrate process based on the Pechini method. A polymeric precursor was formed by use of citric acid and ethylene glycol as a chelating agent of metal ions and reaction medium, respectively. The orthorhombic BaCeO 3 powders, about 100-nm sized and uniformly shaped, were obtained through the calcination of the polymeric precursor at 900 °C for 4 h. It was found that the small quantities of the remanent carbonate ions (CO 3 2−) were completely decomposed at over 1100 °C.