SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FERROELECTRIC NANOCRYSTAL POWDERS OF SrBi2Ta2O9 BY A POLYMERIZABLE COMPLEX METHOD

Abstract

Ferroelectric nanocrystal powders of SrBi2Ta2O9 (SBT) have been first prepared by a polymerizable complex (PC) route. The bismuth powder, strontium carbonate, and water-soluble tantalum oxalate solution were used as starting materials. Thermal analyses (TGA and DSC), x-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and conventional BET method were explored to characterize the structure, morphology, and specific surface area of PC-derived SBT powders calcined at 500-850 °C. As control samples, SBT powders were also fabricated by metalorganic decomposition (MOD) method. The XRD and TEM results indicate that high pure and well crystalline powders can be obtained at 650 °C with a average size of 50 nm. The PC-derived powder has much larger surface area than MOD-derived powder. The BET value of PC and MOD powder at 750 °C for 2h is 6.7 and 1.5m2/g, respectively. The specific surface area of powder prepared by conventional solid-state reaction is quite low, typically less than 1.5m2/g. Therefore, the feasibility of the polymerizable complex route is demonstrated in the powder synthesis of SBT with large surface area.