Synthesis of single-crystal barium titanate nanorods transformed from potassium titanate nanostructures

Single-crystal barium titanate (BaTiO3) nanorods were synthesized by a hydrothermal reaction using precursors of potassium titanate (K2O·nTiO2, n = 4 or 6) nanostructures. The precursors of potassium tetratitanate (K2Ti4O9) and potassium hexatitanate (K2Ti6O13) nanostructures were prepared by a sol–gel method in which a growth of K2O·nTiO2 (n = 4 or 6) nanorods was induced by a role of pre-crystallized K2O phase at defined heating temperatures. The specific morphologies of BaTiO3 nanorods featured with flat or stepped surfaces and rectangular or polygonal cross-section, were obtainable by selecting the structure of precursors.