Low-Temperature Rapid Synthesis of LiNbO₃ Powder by Molten Salt Methods

Abstract

LiNbO₃ powder was rapidly prepared at 650°C by a molten salt method using Li₂CO₃ and Nb₂O₅ as raw materials. The dwell time is 5 min. The crystal structure and morphology of the powder were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The XRD patterns reveal that single-phase LiNbO₃ powder can be obtained by the method, and the SEM photographs show that the as-prepared powder is of shape isotropy, indicating the particle growth is under the diffusion control mechanism, and well dispersed. With the increase of temperature and the amount of salt, the particle size increases.

Keywords:

• Ferroelectric material
• KCl–NaCl flux
• LiNbO₃
• Low temperature
• Molten salt method
• Na₂SO₄–Li₂SO₄ flux
• Nonlinear optical properties
• Powder
• Pyroelectric properties
• Rapid synthesis
• SEM
• Shape isotropy
• Stoichiometric
• Well dispersed
• XRD patterns

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant No. 50672056, 50432010) and the Creative Education Fund of Shaanxi University of Science and Technology.