Local structural distortion of BaZr(x)Ti(1-x)O3 nanocrystals synthesized at room temperature

Single crystalline, sub-15 nm BaZr(x)Ti(1-x)O(3) (0 ≤x≤ 1) nanocrystals were synthesized at room temperature via the vapor diffusion sol-gel method. As-prepared nanocrystals exhibit noncentrosymmetric regions whose volume fraction increases significantly upon substitution of small amounts of Zr(4+) for Ti(4+) and reaches a maximum for substitution levels ranging from 10 to 20 mol%.