In-situ size control and structural characterization of barium titanate nanocrystal prepared by crystallization of amorphous phase

We examined the influence of nanocrystalline particle size on the cubic-to-tetragonal phase transition of barium titanate (BaTiO3). In-situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were used in combination with electron microscopy to study the evolution of lattice structure and phase-transformation behavior with heat treatment and particle growth for BaTiO3. The lattice constants were obtained for various polycrystal orientations in the diameter size range 10–90 nm. In-situ XRD results during the crystallization of amorphous 4BaTiO3-SiO2 revealed a critical size of ∼25 nm for the cubic-to-tetragonal phase transition of BaTiO3 at room temperature.