Direct synthesis of barium zirconate titanate (BZT) nanoparticles at room temperature and sintering of their ceramics at low temperature

Using tetrabutyl titanate, zirconium nitrate and barium octahydrate as the raw materials, BZT nanoparticles with a grain size of ~10 nm were directly synthesized at room temperature. With low energy consumption and without any contamination produce, the synthesis process is green, environmental-friendly, convenient and efficient. The graingrowth of the as-prepared nanoparticles annealed at different temperatures was checked, and a rapid graingrowth starting at 600 °C was observed. The sintering characteristics were also studied and it was found that an adapted sintering aid was very important for the sintering of the BZT nanoparticles at low temperature. Here, adding the useful active liquid of Bi2O3–Li2O as the sintering aid results in obtaining the dense BZT ceramics with the relative density of 96% even sintering at the temperature as low as 900 °C for 2 h.