Fabrication of (111) oriented BaTiO3 microplatelets by the topochemical microcrystal conversion

Template crystals with high diameter-to-thickness ratio (DTR) were critical to prepare high-performance texture piezoelectric ceramics . The (111) BaTiO 3 templates with high DTR larger than 15 were prepared using the molten salt synthesis. Firstly, the optimized molar ratios of BaCO 3 /TiO 2 and NaCl/KCl for the Ba 6 Ti 17 O 40 (B6T17) precursor were 6.9:17 and 3:1, respectively. The TG-DSC analysis revealed that the optimal calcination temperature was 1060 °C. Secondly, the highest DTR value for B6T17 could reach at 50:1, which further guaranteed final DTR of (111)-oriented BT templates ranged from 15 to 20 by calcined at 950 °C. The excessively high ratios of NaCl/KCl and high calcination temperature were harmful to the high DTR and the template integrity. Finally, activated (111) BT templates induced matrix powders to form textured diamond-shaped grains successfully.