Effect of heating rate on the crystal composition of ferroelectric lithium niobate crystallites

A series of lithium niobate powders were synthesized by the combustion method at different heating rates. The effect of heating rate on the crystal composition of lithium niobate powders was investigated by powder X-ray diffraction measurements. It has been found that the lithium content in the as-synthesized lithium niobate powders increases with decreasing the heating rate. On the basis of the existed structure–property relationship of lithium niobate single crystals, it was concluded that high quality lithium niobate powders can be effectively synthesized at a lower heating rate (in the range of 5–10 °C/min) by the combustion method.