Study of the Aurivillius phases Bi4Srn−3TinO3n+3 (n=4, 5) synthesized by mechanochemical activation

The mechanochemical activation method allows one to obtain the Aurivillius phases Bi4SrTi4O15 and Bi4Sr2Ti5O18 with a significant decrease in the temperature of synthesis and reaction time, as compared to the solid-state method, by supplying mechanical energy to the initial reagents. The method leads to homogeneous, activated precursors, whose particle size is reduced to around 250 nm. Further thermal annealing makes crystallinity and particle size to increase. The products are characterized by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopy.