Abstract
EuTiO3 and Eu0.5Ba0.5TiO3 ceramics were synthesized using mechanochemical activation of oxide precursors and then calcined. The uniaxially as well as isostatically pressed samples were sintered in different kinds of reducing atmospheres, namely Ar + (7–10)%H2, respectively, 99.99%H2 in the case of pressureless sintering or in vacuum (enriched by CO vapors) in the case of pressure-assisted spark plasma sintering (SPS). The samples prepared by SPS contained the pyrochlore phase as the second phase. In contrast with SPS, pressureless sintered samples were phase pure, although thermodynamics calculations showed that CO atmosphere in SPS is more reducing than pure hydrogen. This is explained by short sintering times in SPS that do not allow establishment of the thermodynamic equilibrium. The proper choice of sintering temperature, time, and atmosphere enabled preparation of dense and phase pure samples of Eu x Ba1− x TiO3 ceramics suitable for the evaluation of “true” physical properties (e.g., infrared reflectivity), or for experimental confirmation of specific functionalities proposed from theory.
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