Enhancing the formation of tetragonal phase in perovskite nanocrystals using an ultrasound assisted wet chemical method

•A facile one-step method is developed to obtain perovskite nanocrystals.•Highly-pure tetragonal perovskite nanocrystals are obtained.•Ultrasonication is able in enhancing the formation of tetragonal.

Synthesis of highly-pure tetragonal perovskite nanocrystals is the key challenge facing the development of new electronic devices. Our results have indicated that ultrasonication is able in enhancing the formation of tetragonal phase in perovskite nanocrystals. In the current research, multicationic oxide perovskite (ATiO3; A: Ba, Sr, Ba0.6Sr0.4) nanopowders are synthesized successfully by a general methodology without a calcination step. The method is able to synthesize high-purity nanoscale ATiO3 (BaTiO3, SrTiO3, Ba0.6Sr0.4TiO3) with tetragonal symmetry at a lower temperature and in a shorter time span in contrast to the literature. To reach an in-depth understanding of the scientific basis of the proposed methodology, in-detail analysis was carried out via XRD, FTIR, FT-Raman, FE-SEM and HR-TEM. The effects of the sonication time and sonication (bath) temperature on the tetragonality of nanoscale products were examined. Furthermore, Raman spectroscopy provides clear evidence for local tetragonal symmetries, in particular when a band is observed at 310 cm−1.