Nonhydrolytic Sol-Gel Synthesis of Ba1-xSrxTiO3 Nanopowder

A novel process for making nanopowders has been investigated by using the nonhydrolytic sol-gel synthesis (NHSGS) method, with which around 70% organic solvent can be recycled. Ba1-xSrxTiO3 (BST) nanopowders, for example, were synthesized with the parent precursors Sr(CH3COO)2, Ba(CH3COO)2, Ti(n-C4H9O)4, and glacial acetic acid. The properties of BST powders were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), laser scattering, and an Autosorb surface area analyzer. The mean size of primary BST particles is around 30 nm, and the diameters of 50% BST agglomerates are less than 344 nm. With the NHSGS process the period of synthesis was greatly shortened and cost and pollution were largely minimized as well. Furthermore, the NHSGS method can also be applied to the preparation of PbZr0.95Ti0.05O3 and PbZr0.75Ti0.25O3 nanopowders.