Rheological Characterization of BaTiO3 Sol-Gel Transition

BaTiO₃ gels were prepared by hydrolysis and polycondensation reactions between titanium isopropoxide and barium hydroxide in presence of methoxyethanol, methanol and water. The rheology of the sol-gel transition was studied with a rheometer allowing low amplitude sinusoidal oscillations. Experimental data show a continuous increase in the complex viscosity along with time, showing the progressive character of the transition. The influence of synthesis operating variables was studied. The gelation time, which definition is based on viscoelastic measurements, increases exponentially when the water content is increased, when the dilution due to the methoxyethanol is reduced or when the temperature is lowered. Different growth models were used for the characterization of the particles in the solution. These models suggest that the polymerisation first produces spherical particles (mass fractals) and that these spherical particles then agglomerate to form a linear network.     

Processing and Characterization of Sol-Gel Derived Modified PbTiO3 for Ferroelectric Composite Applications

Powders of (Pb_0.8Ca_0.2)(Ti_0.99Mn_0.01)O₃ have been prepared by sol-gel processing. A tetragonal phase is formed after heat treatment at as low as 800°C. The tetragonality was found to be 1.053±0.005 and Curie temperature 315°C. Composite films with 0–3 connectivity were prepared from 800°C heat treated powders and P(VDF-TrFE) by the solvent casting technique. Composites poled at 20 MV/m, exhibited a pyroelectric coefficient of 17.4 μC/m²K and a pyroelectric figure of merit (FOM_p=p/ε) of 0.51 μC/m²K.     

Preparation of Transparent, Partially-Crystallized BaTiO3 Monolithic Xerogels by Sol-Gel Processing

Transparent, partially-crystallized nanostructured barium titanate (BaTiO3) monolithic xerogels (dried at 90°C) have been successfully synthesized via hydrolysis of Ba, Ti alkoxide precursor solutions in a concentration range of 1.0 mol/l with addition of water with a molar ratio of H2O/Ba 6.3. Transparent monolithic xerogels obtained from a precursor solution of 1.0 mol/l remained transparent even after firing at 500°C in oxygen, although the degree of their transparency was considerably decreased. Firing at temperatures above 500°C yielded translucent ceramics of BaTiO3, and ultimately, firing above 600°C resulted in normal opaque ceramic bodies. Those obtained from a more concentrated precursor solution of 1.2 mol/l were, on the other hand, still transparent after firing at 600°C in oxygen, and turned opaque at 700°C. The results demonstrate that the materials retained their transparency even after pyrolysis of organic compounds involving exothermic oxidation at temperatures in the range of 200 to 400°C. The densification behavior of transparent BaTiO3 monolithic xerogels obtained was found to be excellent; for example, those derived from a 1.0 mol/l precursor solution could be sintered to form monolithic BaTiO3 ceramics with a relative sintered density of about 94% and an average grain size of 1 m by firing at 1100°C for 2 h in oxygen.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Highly Oriented Sol-Gel (Pb, La) TiO3 Thin Film Optical Waveguides

The preparation and the optical characteristics of highly oriented PLT thin films are investigated. PLT films fabricated on MgO(100) and c-plane sapphire substrates have highly grown in (100) and (111) orientations, respectively. PLT films with high La content have a near cubic structure and weak anisotropy of refractive indices. The optical propagation losses of PLT films decrease as the La content of the films increases due to a complex interaction of surface roughness reduction and a reduction in the anisotropy refractive index. However, optical scattering in thicker sol-gel PLT thin film waveguides occurs by the internal scattering mechanism from the defects and the interfaces rather than by the surface scattering mechanism.     

Electrical Properties of Sol-Gel Processed Amorphous BaTiO3 Thin Films

BaTiO₃ thin films were prepared on single crystal silicon (1 0 0) and platinum substrates by sol-gel technique. Amorphous films with thickness uniformity were obtained by spinning the solution at 3000 rpm for 30 s and by post-deposition annealing at 400°C. The films exhibited good dielectric and insulating properties. The dielectric constant and dissipation factor at a frequency of 100 kHz were 17 and 0.20, respectively, for 1400 Å thick film on platinum substrate (MIM). The corresponding values were 16 and 0.015 for films on Si (MIS). Dielectric properties were also studied as functions of frequency and voltage. The C-V curve for MIS structure exhibited a hysteresis. The density of interface states recharged during the bias cycle in hysteresis measurement was estimated to be of the order of 2.10 × 10¹¹ cm^–2 and total oxide charge density was about 4.28 × 10¹¹ cm^–2. I-V measurements were performed on films of different thicknesses. The leakage current densities at 5 V for the films having thicknesses 1400 and 2800 Å were 0.86 and 0.11 A/cm² respectively. The conduction mechanism is found to be Poole-Frenkel and Schottky mechanisms at low and high fields, respectively.     

溶胶-凝胶法合成钛酸锌陶瓷粉体

本文以钛酸四丁酯、乙酸锌、柠檬酸、乙二醇和乙醇为主要原料，用溶胶-凝胶（Sol-Gel）法，经两次热处理合成出均一的钛酸锌（ZnTiO₃）陶瓷粉体，并用TG-DTA、XRD和FE-SEM等对其组织结构和形貌进行了表征。结果表明，热处理方式对产物组成和晶型有较大影响。     

溶胶-凝胶法制备掺锰钛酸钡纳米粉体及其陶瓷

The Mn-doped barium titanate nanosized powders and ceramics were prepared via the sol-gel process. The powders and ceramics were characterized by XRD， SEM and TEM. The dielectric properties of the ceramics were also measured. The influences of calcination temperature and Mn concentration on the microstructure， dielectric properties and phase composition of BaTiO₃ nano-powders and ceramics were discussed. The results indicated that the BaTiO₃-based powders doped with 1.0mol% Mn were mainly in cubic BaTiO₃ phase， but the tetragonal phase became more evident when the calcination temperature increased. After sintering， Mn-doped ceramics were mainly composed of cubic BaTiO₃. Specially， a new phase of hexagonal crystal BaTiO₃ and BaMnO₃ existed in the ceramics doped with 5.0mol% Mn and the ceramic grains were in ‘clintheriform’. The structure of ‘clintheriform’ led to the poor densification of ceramics， reducing the dielectric constant obviously. The dielectric constants of BaTiO₃ ceramics first increased and then decreased as the Mn concentration increased. The room temperature dielectric constant was 2 290 and the lowest dielectric loss was 0.004 when the Mn concentration was 0.5mol%.     

Preparation and Characterization of BaTiO3 Long Fibers by Sol-Gel Process Using Catechol-Complexed Alkoxide

BaTiO₃ ceramic fibers were prepared by the sol-gel method in which catechol-complexed titanium isopropoxide and barium acetate hydrate were used as starting materials. The green fibers of ca. 30 cm in length were obtained from the precursor sols. The BaTiO₃ ceramic fibers with the average length of ca. 20 cm were of the order of 3 to 10 m in diameter and elliptical shapes in cross section. The green fibers and those sintered at different temperatures were characterized by TGA/DSC, XRD, IR, SEM and TEM techniques.     

Shift of Optical Absorption Edge in Sol-Gel Derived Transparent BaTiO3 Gels During Aging

Transparent barium titanate (BaTiO₃) wet gels synthesized by sol-gel processing using high-concentration Ba,Ti-alkoxide solution (1.0 mol/l) were subjected to optical measurements, X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscope observations. A systematic shift of the optical absorption edge was observed for the transparent BaTiO₃ wet gels shrinking during aging at 30 and 50°C, while no shift was observed for the wet gels aged at 5°C. The crystallinity and crystallite size of the gels increased with increasing aging time and temperature. The shift of the optical absorption edge of the BaTiO₃ gels during aging was found to have a close relation to an increase in the crystallite size of the gels.     

Sol-Gel Synthesis of Nano-Scaled BaTiO3, BaZrO3 and BaTi0.5Zr0.5O3 Oxides via Single-Source Alkoxide Precursors and Semi-Alkoxide Routes

Sol-gel synthesis of nano-sized BaTiO₃, BaZrO₃ and BaTi_0.5Zr_0.5O₃ ceramics using alkoxide and semi-alkoxide routes has been investigated and the pervoskites obtained have been compared with respect to crystallisation temperature, crystallite size and compositional purity. Heterometal alkoxides containing two (for BaTiO₃ and BaZrO₃) and three (for BaTi_0.5Zr_0.5O₃) different metals were used as single-source precursors in the alkoxide route while semi-alkoxide synthesis was performed by reacting barium hydroxide or acetate with Ti and/or Zr alkoxides. Semi-alkoxide synthesis also produces stoichiometric and phase-pure oxides, however, at temperatures higher than 1000°C. At temperatures below 1000°C, BaCO₃ and small amounts of other undesired phases (e.g., BaTi₂O₄) were present in the oxides derived from semi-alkoxide synthesis. Thermal behaviour, studied by TGA/DTA measurements, shows that thermal decomposition occurs in three major steps and depends on the educt composition and the synthesis route. Among alkoxide derived powders, crystalline BaTi_0.5Zr_0.5O₃ phase is formed at 400°C while complete crystallisation of BaMO₃ ceramics occurs around 600°C. The cubic to tetragonal phase transition for BaTiO₃ is clearly observed at relatively low-temperature of 800°C. The stoichiometry and phase homogeneity of the obtained powders were demonstrated by energy dispersive X-ray analysis and powder diffractometry. The averaged crystallite size of the obtained nano-ceramics was evaluated using the FormFit programme. SEM and TEM observations revealed a high microstructural uniformity.     

Ferroelectric Properties of Modified Lead Titanate Thin Films Obtained by a Sol-Gel Method

Calcium substituted lead titanate thin films have been prepared by a sol-gel method, deposited by spin-coating, and thermally treated so as to obtain a perovskite structure. Two types of thermal treatments were given, differing in the heating rate, which in conventional treatments was of some 10°C/min, and in rapid treatments >500°C/min. With rapid heating, materials are obtained in which greater polarizations are commuted and bias fields are smaller. This, together with the fact that additional (undesired) phases are not observed by X-ray diffractometry when rapid treatments are used, shows that these are to be preferred over conventional treatments.     

PZT Aerogels: Sol-Gel Derived Piezoelectric 3-3 Composites

Ultrasonic transducers with low acoustic impedances are required for applications in gaseous media. In porous piezoelectrics the pore volume acts as a second medium of a solid-gas composite and thus lowers the overall acoustic impedance. Lead zirconate titanate (PbZr_.53Ti_.47O₃, PZT) aerogels were prepared by sol-gel processing and supercritical drying in isopropanol. Prefiring at 400°C in air and subsequent thermal treatment in saturated PbO-atmosphere results in phase transformation to PZT (perovskite phase), grain growth and aerogel densification. In this paper the densification of this new class of piezoelectric material at temperatures above 600°C is described. Porosities were measured as a function of sintering time and temperature. Changes in the microstructure were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Dielectric measurements are presented.     

Crystallization and Microstructure of (Sm, Pb)TiO3 Thin Films Prepared from Sol-Gel Synthesized Solutions

A sol-gel route is developed for the synthesis of samarium modified lead titanate precursor solutions. The solutions are used for the deposition of thin films. After thermal treatment of the films, two crystalline phases are observed by X-ray diffraction analysis: an undesirable pyrochlore phase and a ferroelectric perovskite. These two phases are clearly distinguished in the film microstructure, showing a fined grained fraction of pyrochlore anda-axis oriented rosette grains of perovskite. The development of these phases as well as the evolution of the perovskite/pyrochlore ratio in the films is related to the chemistry of the synthesized solutions and the thermal treatment used for crystallization.     

Size Effect on Crystal Structures of Barium Titanate Nanoparticles Prepared by a Sol-Gel Method

Barium titanate nanoparticles were synthesized by the hydrolysis of complex alkoxide precursor that was prepared in a reflux of metallic barium and tetraethylorthotitanate in solvent. The hydrolysis was performed by the addition of water/ethanol solution to the precursor solution. As reflux time increased, particle sizes, which were measured with transmittance electromicroscopy, became smaller followed by sharpening of size distribution. As water concentration and benzene content in the hydrolysis increased, the particle size increased with crystallite size that was determined with X-ray diffractometry. No significant difference was observed between the particle and crystallite sizes up to 30 nm. Over the size of 30 nm, the particle size was larger than the crystallite size because of generation of polycrystallites. Annealing treatments in air at 400 and 1000°C also increased both the particle and crystallite sizes. The crystallite sizes estimated from the (111) peaks were smaller than those from (110) peaks in a range of sizes larger than 40 nm, which indicated that the critical crystallite size of transformation from cubic to tetragonal structures was approximately 40 nm.     

Lead Zirconate-Titanate Films Prepared from Soluble Powders

Precursor powders for Pb(Zr1 – xTix) O3 (PZT) thin films were produced by the reaction of zirconium-and titanium-n-propoxides with acetylacetone and lead acetate trihydrate. The subsequent complete removal of volatile components yielded powders that can be handled in air. The powders are indefinitely stable under ambient conditions.High molarity (>2m) coating sols were prepared by dissolution of the precursor powders in mixtures of 1,3-propanediol, triethanolamine (TEA) and water. Excess amounts of lead to compensate lead loss during firing were easily introduced into these solutions.The deposition of these sols on steel substrates and firing at 600°C yielded PZT films. Many physical parameters like film thickness, morphology and electrical performance could be influenced by choice of the solvent mixture composition and oxide content of the sols. Depending on the preparation dielectric permittivities, r of up to 840 were measured at 1 kHz. By hysteresis measurements at 50 Hz and a field amplitude of 50 V/m a remanent polarization of about 40 C/cm2 and coercivity of about 8 V/m was obtained. The films were stable against dielectric breakdown up to 70V/m.     

Physicochemical characterisation of lead titanate solutions applied to the processing of thin films

A new sol-gel method, in which dihydroxy alcohols are used as solvents, is described for the preparation of lead titanate thin films. Infrared spectroscopy and measurements of viscosity are used to study the reaction mechanisms involved in the formation of polymerized solutions. Crack-free lead titanate layers with thickness 0.5 µm are obtained from these solutions, on Pt/TiO₂/Si substrates, by spin-coating and subsequent heat treatments. The formation of the perovskite and the microstructure of these films are monitored by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry analysis, differential thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy.     

Sol-Gel Processing of PbZrO3 Thin Films

PbZrO₃ (PZ) thin films have been prepared by 2-methoxyethanol route from lead oxide or lead acetate and zirconium n-butoxide. The use of lead oxide as lead source and the seeding layer of TiO₂ on Pt/TiO₂/SiO₂/Si substrate facilitate the formation of the perovskite phase.     

Acetic Acid Based Sol-Gel PLZT Thin Films: Processing and Characterization

PLZT 4/65/35 thin films were prepared by the acetic acid based sol-gel route. The choice of lanthanum precursor, i.e., acetate or nitrate, influences the functional group content of formamide modified sols and the microstructure of the thin films. The lanthanum nitrate based PLZT thin film deposited on Si/SiO2/TiO2 /Pt/TiO2 substrate has a columnar perovskite grain structure, while the lanthanum acetate based one is characterized by a lead-silicon containing reaction layer beneath the platinum electrode. Although lead is depleted from the PLZT thin film the perovskite structure is retained by the use of the top layer with a large excess of PbO.     

溶胶-凝胶模板法制备钛酸钡纳米管

采用氢氧化钡和钛酸四丁酯为前驱体, 溶胶-凝胶结合模板法制备了钛酸钡纳米管, 通过SEM, TEM, XPS和XRD等表征分析, 钛酸钡纳米管直径100 nm, 钛酸钡为立方相结构, 晶胞参数a＝3.995 Å.     

Seeding and the Non-Hydrolytic Sol-Gel Synthesis of ZrW2O8 and ZrMo2O8

The unseeded non-hydrolytic sol-gel synthesis of ZrW₂O₈ and ZrMo₂O₈ produces trigonal ZrM₂O₈ (M = W, Mo) at 740 and 300–400°C, respectively. Cubic ZrW₂O₈ can be prepared using non-hydrolytic sol-gel methods by seeding with small amounts of preprepared cubic material, and the formation of the trigonal polymorph can be suppressed completely. Seeds with a small particle size are necessary for the preparation of cubic ZrW₂O₈. In contrast, seeding of ZrMo₂O₈ gels with either cubic ZrMo₂O₈ or cubic ZrW₂O₈ only lowers the temperature at which the trigonal phase crystallizes.