Fabrication of ferroelectric lead bismuth tantalate nanoparticles by colloid emulsion route

Abstract

Ferroelectric lead bismuth tantalate (PbBi₂Ta₂O₉ nanoparticles were successfully synthesised using a colloid-emulsion process. Monophasic PbBi₂Ta₂O₉ was obtained through calcining the precursor powder at 750°C for 2 h. The precursor powders are soft agglomerates with nanosized primary particles. After calcination at 750°C, the average primary particle size is about 40 nm and the shape of the particle is near spherical. A rise in calcination temperature results in an increase in the particle size as well as the crystallinity. The collid emulsion technique as developed was found to be superior to the conventional solid state method for preparing PbBi₂Ta₂O₉ powder with finer particles and a narrow size distribution.