Synthesis of nanocrystalline lithium niobate powders via a fast chemical route

Abstract Lithnium niobate (LiNbO3) can be obtained by mixing lithium nitrate (LiNO3), ammonium niobate oxalate hydrate (C4H4NNbO9) and glycine and then calcining at 600 °C for 1 h. The thermal analysis, structure, and morphology of the as-prepared LiNbO3 were characterized by thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses (TG/DTA), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystallization temperature of LiNbO3 precursor is 580 °C based on the TG/DTA results. After being calcined at 600 °C, the structure of the LiNbO3 synthesized using various ratios of glycine to metal nitrates (Ψ-value) was formed with a particle size of about 29–38 nm, as found by XRD analysis. The crystal size has the lowest value at Ψ = 2, and the highest level of crystallization is at Ψ = 3.