Synthesis, characterization, and dielectric properties of Ba(Ti1−xSnx)O3 nanopowders and ceramics

We prepared Ba(Ti1−xSnx)O3 powders and ceramics by means of the sol–gel process, with dibutyltin dilaurate as the Sn precursor. The samples were characterized by means of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, and also determined the dielectric properties of the ceramics. The powders synthesized by means of the sol–gel process had a grain size on the nanometer scale, with the grains mainly composed of a cubic BaTiO3 phase. Sn can disperse into BaTiO3 more uniformly in the sol–gel technique using dibutyltin dilaurate as the Sn precursor. With increasing Sn concentration, the grain size of the Ba(Ti1-xSnx)O3 ceramics increased and the maximum dielectric constant (ɛmax) first increased and then decreased. At a Sn concentration of 5 mol%, ɛmax reached its maximum value (19,235).