Synthesis of single-crystal barium titanate nanorods transformed from potassium titanate nanostructures

Abstract Single-crystal barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) nanorods were synthesized by a hydrothermal reaction using precursors of potassium titanate (K 2 O· n TiO 2 , n = 4 or 6) nanostructures. The precursors of potassium tetratitanate (K 2 Ti 4 O 9 ) and potassium hexatitanate (K 2 Ti 6 O 13 ) nanostructures were prepared by a sol–gel method in which a growth of K 2 O· n TiO 2 ( n = 4 or 6) nanorods was induced by a role of pre-crystallized K 2 O phase at defined heating temperatures. The specific morphologies of BaTiO 3 nanorods featured with flat or stepped surfaces and rectangular or polygonal cross-section, were obtainable by selecting the structure of precursors.