BaTiO3 nanocubes: Size-selective formation and structure analysis

Single crystalline BaTiO3 nanoparticles starting from BaCO3 and TiO2 have been synthesized by a composite-hydroxide-mediated method. The influence of reaction time and temperature was investigated systematically. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, SEM and TEM. The result showed that all BaTiO3 samples were cubic phase with size from 70 to100 nm under different reaction temperature (165–220 °C) and time (24–72 h); higher temperature and longer time clearly favored the increase of particle size. The widened FWHM in XRD and the peak blue shift in UV–vis absorption spectrum with the decrease of the nanocube size demonstrated the quantum size effect.