Low-temperature synthesis of ultrafine barium titanate (BaTiO 3) using organometallic barium and titanium precursors

Nano size (< 200 nm) barium titanate was synthesized using barium acetate and potassium titanyl oxalate as precursors. Aqueous (0.01 M) potassium titanyl oxalate was added dropwise to a 0.01 M aqueous barium acetate solution with continuous stirring at room temperature to precipitate barium titanyl oxalate (BTO). The precipitate, after careful washing with distilled water several times, was dried in an oven at 70°C and calcined in air at 550°C/6 h to produce spherical, homogeneous, stoichiometric powder of BaTiO 3 < 200 nm in size. The calcined powder was characterized using different techniques such as XRD, DTA/ TG/DTG, SEM/TEM and IR techniques.