Microstructure transition from normal to abnormal grains for BaTiO 3

Abstract

Quantitative characterization on the microstructure evolution during sintering of barium titanate has been conducted. The microstructure of the specimens sintered at 1320–1360 °C exhibits a typical mixture of normal and abnormal grains. The size of normal grains and abnormal grains differs by two orders of magnitude. No grain with an intermediate size is observed. A “pseudo-abnormal” region composing of many partially oriented normal grains is found instead. The formation of such pseudo-abnormal regions may help the transition from fine normal grains to coarse abnormal grains.