Structural and ferroelectrical properties of bismuth titanate ceramic powders prepared by mechanically assisted synthesis

Nanosized bismuth titanate, Bi4Ti3O12, was prepared via a high-energy ball milling process through mechanically assisted synthesis directly from the oxide mixture of Bi2O3 and TiO2. The Bi4Ti3O12 phase started to form after 1 h of milling. With increasing the milling time from 3 to 12 h, the particle size of formed Bi4Ti3O12 did not reduce significantly. The grain size was less than 16 nm and showed a strong tendency to agglomeration. The nucleation and phase formation of Bi4Ti3O12, crystal structure, microstructure, powder grain size and specific surface area were followed by XRD, Rietveld refinement analysis, SEM and the BET specific surface area measurements. Raman spectroscopy was used to explain the structural properties of Bi4Ti3O12 powder, prepared by mechanically assisted synthesis. Reduction in grain size with the increase of milling time was also noted (change in the position and relative intensity), which indicated changes in the structure, caused by nanodimension grains. The sample milled for 12 h and subsequently sintered at 1000?C for 24 h exhibited a hysteresis loop, confirming that the synthesized material possesses ferroelectric properties. .