Nanocrystalline barium zirconate titanate synthesized at low temperature by an aqueous co-precipitation technique

Single-phase nanocrystalline powder of barium zirconium titanate, Ba(ZrxTi1-x)O3 (BZT), x = 0.10, 0.20 and 0.30, was synthesized at low-temperature using an aqueous co-precipitation technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the as-precipitated powder showed single-phase BZT formation. The decrease in precipitant concentration resulted in impurity barium carbonate phase formation. Transmission electron microscopy studies of as-prepared powders showed an average particle size of 30 nm and the crystallite size from XRD was estimated to be 13 nm. The microstructural studies of sintered bodies showed an average grain size of 4 μm and the dielectric and ferroelectric behaviour of BZT with 10 mol.% Zr is reported. © 2007 Acta Materialia Inc.